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Governor Greg Abbott and officials from DSHS, TDEM, the City of Arlington, and Tarrant County held a press conference on March 18 on Arlington’s COVID-19 response and recent incidents in a city retirement home.

This report is intended to give you an overview and highlight of the discussions on the various topics the committee took up. This report is not a verbatim transcript of the hearing; it is based upon what was audible or understandable to the observer and the desire to get details out as quickly as possible with few errors or omissions.

Governor Greg Abbott

  • Spoke with Arlington and federal health officials on COVID-19 response
  • Discussed strategies including, testing every single person that Patrick James & wife have had contact with, including everyone at the Masonic Retirement Center, CDC epidemiological team necessary, need to improve infection control procedures, limitation on visitors, limit movement within facility, need for full trace of all movement within the center
  • Retirement center is not typically the type of place that would need infection control procedures
  • Limitation on visitors was in disaster declaration last Friday and should be in place at retirement centers already, but emphasizing need
  • When we arrived in Arlington today, already received 2.5k test kits
  • Spoke with Judge Whitley and Mayor Williams last night, made clear that Texas will partner with and collaborate with them to the fullest extent possible, will provide whatever support, resources, and equipment needed to be able to respond and contain
  • Everyone shares the same goal of limiting spread of COVID-19 to other residents and to anyone who could be affected
  • Texans are living in challenging times, but we are up to those challenges, will get through this as with other infectious diseases
  • Texans need to support each other and collaborate

Judge B. Glen Whitley, Tarrant County

  • Appreciates efforts by the Governor
  • Mr. James was an elderly male with underlying medical conditions at the Texas Masonic Retirement Center
  • Arlington Health Authority and Tarrant County Health Authority have issued control orders to interview contacts and build next steps; Gov. said they will all be tested
  • Mr. James was tested on March 14, passed away on March 16, obtained results on March 17
  • Mr. James had no known travel or any other contact with a known COVID-19 patient
  • Currently 9 positive cases, 2 or 3 possibly local spread
  • Texas Masonic implemented infection control procedures last Wednesday & will be reviewed with CDC
  • Have had regular calls over the past week to plan for what is happening and are continually asking different agencies and nonprofits what is needed
  • Press Conference this afternoon at 3pm announcing restriction talked about and discussed with cities yesterday that will occur today or may issue another set tomorrow
  • Understand that the situation is changing and Tarrant County will be able to change at a moment’s notice; working together with state and other partners
  • Encourages citizens to reach out to elderly individuals to assist

Mayor Jeff Williams, Arlington

  • Thanks Gov. Abbott, has been speaking with him continually in recent times
  • Gov. being here means a lot, brought resources and plans
  • Appreciate work done to make us safer, expresses condolences to the James family
  • Measures will certainly create some hardships for citizens and businesses, we are implementing a plan with public health at the top
  • Consulting constantly with Tarrant County Public Health and other officials to make sure we are making smart decisions
  • A lot of misinformation circulating, need to go to official websites
  • Most of city services remain unaffected including emergency response, garbage & recycling, water, etc.
  • First responders have been in these situations before, residents should practice smart hygiene habits in the weeks and months ahead
  • Churches have announced a citywide call to prayer at 6pm today
  • Seniors and those with chronic conditions are most at risk, should reach out over phone or Skype

Dr. John Hellerstedt, DSHS

  • Have heard incredible wisdom from very well-informed leaders, outstanding public health professionals in the state and locally

Chief Nim Kidd, TDEM

  • Virus is novel, but procedures and policies are the same
  • Will be in this for awhile and should support first responders

Governor Greg Abbott

  • 83 confirmed across 23 counties in Texas, 3 deaths
  • More than 1,900 people being monitored, testing capabilities have increased dramatically, receiving kits as we speak
  • Will be able to administer 15k to 20k tests/week by the end of this week
  • As we see the increase and spread across the state, every leader must employ the standards established by the CDC to mitigate spread

Questions

  • Have you considered possibility of shutting down bars statewide?
    • Gov. Abbott – I have considered that, will be making an announcement about that tomorrow
    • Have worked collaboratively at the state level since early January
    • It’s clear that we’ve seen an increase, since the declaration last Friday, positive tests have more than doubled and have had 3 deaths, counties impacted have more than doubled; clear that spread is across the state
    • Traditionally the way disaster response works is with state declaration which empowers local officials to respond, but dealing with something that is worldwide in scope
    • Would like input from local officials today, telling all local officials to get in contact today
    • Judge Whitley – Thanks Gov. Abbott for asking for this input, will have a press conference at 3pm that will recommend these steps
  • You had a conference call with health care CEOs yesterday, how many patients can Texas hospitals handle at one time?
    • Gov. Abbott – Wanted to find out capacity that Texas hospitals have to respond to COVID-19, wanting to nail down the number of beds available this week
    • I was impressed with the number of beds that already exist and the additional secondary strategies hospitals had in place like medical tents
    • Led to other strategies like acquiring additional tents to ensure full capacity and quick upstanding of recently closed hospitals or medical centers
    • There are other temporary facilities that could be employed
    • Also asked about standalone empty motels and hotels for those not in critical condition who tested positive and need isolation
    • Aggregating all of this, we see and believe that we have plentiful supply of resources at different levels of care needs
  • Do you have a number?
    • Didn’t come up with a raw number simply because there are so many resources offered up, have not done the math of adding it all up
    • Conclusion is that we have a plentiful supply
  • I spoke with the James family this morning, they are very upset that they could not obtain an expedited test, wanted to know if you will make changes?
    • Hellerstedt – We are expanding our testing capacity, right now most familiar with public health testing system
    • Pretty much up-to-date in being able to receive a test and have timely turnaround
    • What is important to understand is who qualifies for testing, cannot test those who have no symptoms and not a good resource to test those without
    • Combining testing with risk factors, CDC recently expanded this to seriously ill persons in a hospital with no known cause
    • Doing everything we can to expand the public health system testing capacity, working well with short turnaround times
    • Hoping to have online a massive increase in testing due to private labs
    • Gov. Abbott – Experience of people I have known hope results are in 24-48 hours, but have seen at least 48 hours to get test back
  • Do you have a list of other supplies hospitals have told you they need in terms of ventilators, etc.? Does the state have projections on need?
    • Gov. Abbott – If you contract COVID-19, most do not need hospitalization, appropriate treatment is isolation at the home
    • Only reason to not do this is risk of exposure to other families which is why hotel rooms could be ideal if other strategies are established
    • Vast majority will not need ventilators or respirators, hospital officials felt satisfied with the number we have, but there is always a need for more
    • Have been in conversation with federal partners to ensure
  • Can you speak to the fear, particularly in the immigrant community around the state; possibly some fear they are sick, but fear coming forward and getting tested? Is ICE still conducting operations?
    • Gov. Abbott – Message is the same as they are all medical questions, will be asked on symptoms and other assessing questions for the COVID-19 test
    • Current standard is prescription by doctors, no current background check aside from this
    • Need to ask federal government about ICE
  • What is your message to the immigrant community?
    • Gov. Abbott – We want everyone who needs to be tested to be tested, COVID-19 tests are being provided for free
    • Contact local health care authority to find out where to go for tests

Judge Whitley – Tarrant County press conference will be at 3pm