The man on the forefront of Navarro County’s combat in opposition to COVID-19, Medical Director Dr. Kent Rogers, died from the virus Saturday.

In a publish on the Facebook web page the place Rogers stored his neighborhood up to date on the pandemic, Father Ed Monk posted the next on Rogers’ behalf:

“After a long and valiant struggle with COVID-19, Dr. Rogers faced the choice of being on a ventilator for a long term. Dr. Rogers used most every available treatment for COVID-19, but already diminished lung capacity made recovery difficult. Dr. Rogers made the brave decision to move to comfort care only.”

Within a couple of hours, one other publish shared the information that Rogers had died.

At a statue of Rogers in downtown Corsicana, neighborhood members left flowers.

NBC 5 News

“It’s a really somber day right here in Corsicana,” Fire Chief Paul Henley stated.

Henley labored alongside Rogers in efforts to overcome the pandemic.

He known as the physician steadfast in his efforts to shield the neighborhood, even as soon as he contracted the virus in late December.

“The resolve that he had to keep fighting, even from his hospital bed, staying the course to make sure people wear their masks, make sure people social distance,” Henley stated. “It’s just devastating that someone who fought so hard for all of us, that this took his life.”

In his absence, Henley stated neighborhood leaders deliberate to combat with even higher willpower.

In the vaccination hub Rogers helped to advocate for, the county has vaccinated 2,000 folks.

Moving ahead, Henley stated they’ll name the hassle “Operation Rogers’ Resolve.”

“That’s going to give us one other injection of ardour to simply preserve doing what we’re doing,” Henley stated.

Rogers was scheduled to obtain his vaccine the week he acquired sick.

In his last hours, he requested for the neighborhood to be reminded to “block your man,” a mantra for teammates from his days volunteering on the sidelines at Corsicana High School soccer video games.

In the previous a number of months, he’d used it to remind his neighborhood to shield one another by sporting masks, washing their fingers and preserving 6 ft aside.

Texas COVID-19 Vaccine Distribution

Data from the Texas Department of State Health Services exhibits the place COVID-19 vaccines have been despatched across the state. Click on a marker to discover out details about every location. Use the “plus” and “minus” indicators beneath to zoom out and in of the map.