May 6, 2020 249 PM
TEXAS — The National Guard will conduct more drive-through testing in the tri-county next week, in conjunction with the state and the Department of Emergency Management. Increased testing has arrived in tandem with the governor’s rolling decrees of which businesses will and won’t be allowed to operate.
On Sunday, May 10, testing will happen at the fire station in Fort Davis from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. On Monday, May 11, the City of Presidio will have a second round of drive-through testing from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. at the Presidio EMS and fire station.
The last round of testing in the area took place over a weekend where sites were set up in Marfa, Presidio, Alpine and Terlingua. One of those sites yielded the first positive coronavirus test in the tri-county area: an infected individual in South Brewster County in their sixties. Local doctor Ekta Escovar told public officials on Tuesday that the individual is now considered recovered.
Also on Tuesday, Governor Greg Abbott expanded the “reopening” of Texas even further, partially based on the state’s ability to ramp up its testing with the help of the Texas National Guard. That day, the state tested 19,000 individuals, still shy of the 25,000 daily goal for which the state is aiming.
The governor mentioned two metrics he is focused on that will help dictate the continued expansion of “reopening” Texas. One metric is the hospitalization rate, which went from 1,411 individuals hospitalized on April 20 to 1,533 on Monday, an increase. The other mentioned was the percentage of positive results among people tested for COVID-19, a number that has declined from 7.2 percent on April 20 to 4.65 percent on Monday.
This new round of local testing will not require the individual to be showing symptoms before getting approved for testing. Previously, the state had suggested those calling or using the website to set up a drive-through testing appointment would need to exhibit multiple symptoms in order to receive an appointment.
At Marfa’s testing site last month, the National Guard and local officials, counter to the state’s earlier rules, encouraged everyone to get tested if they wanted to due to a surplus of tests at the site. Now, officials say no symptoms will be required for any of the area’s National Guard testing sites.
Tuesday’s reopening expansion by Abbott added weddings to the list of events (along with funerals, memorials and burials) that can operate under the same rules as church services. It added beaches, lakes, rivers and river rafting to the rules applied to parks, including the “highly recommended” — but not mandatory — practice of wearing a mask.
Outdoor seating at restaurants does not have a 25 percent capacity limit, unlike indoor seating, according to the governor.
The governor will allow hair salons, barbershops, nail salons and tanning salons to reopen with some rules and suggested best practices beginning Friday. By May 18, gyms will be permitted to open at 25 percent, as long as locker rooms and showers stay closed and equipment is sanitized. “Customers should wear gloves,” the governor said.
Abbott said there is “one thing” that has caused positive results thus far: “Texans have been following guidelines of safe practice to reduce the spread of COVID-19.”
“Every single Texan has the full capability themselves to not contract COVID-19 by practicing these strategies,” he said. It’s a philosophy the governor has increasingly stuck with — it will be up to individuals to mitigate their risks of contracting COVID-19.
The governor reiterated, “If Texans stop using those distancing strategies they’ve been using for the past month, they will cause an increase in COVID transmission,” adding that “it could lead to some counties having to impose stricter standards.”
But as Presidio County learned this week, there isn’t much latitude to impose stricter standards. Last Friday, the governor had the county reverse an order that would have continued to close hotels to nonessential workers.
Instead, the state is offering “surge response teams” when areas become heavily impacted by coronavirus. It is not clear how counties will be allowed to impose stronger responses to “get the area under containment” as the governor suggested. His office did not return a request for comment.
According to the state, symptoms of COVID-19 include fever and/or chills, cough (dry or productive,) fatigue, body aches/muscle or joint pain, shortness of breath, sore throat, headaches, nausea/vomiting, diarrhea, nasal congestion and loss of taste and/or smell.
If an individual wants to get tested, they may call 512-883-2400 or visit txcovidtest.org to request an appointment. Citizens and first responders in the area can utilize the call center to schedule their testing. The center only takes appointments 48 hours in advance of the event, according to the Texas Department of Emergency Management.
