Hardin County Judge Wayne McDaniel

Jasper County Judge Mark Allen

Jefferson County Judge Jeff Branick

Newton County Judge Kenneth Weeks

Orange County Judge John Gothia

 

We began the morning defining our mission objectives for response to the COVID-19 threat by our Incident Management Team.  Those mission objectives are:

1.    Serve and protect all citizens in Hardin, Jasper, Jefferson, Newton and Orange counties;

2.    Establish, operate and coordinate an effective call center;

3.    Establish, operate and coordinate effective test sites;

4.    Effectively communicate with our citizens on the latest known information about COVID-19 and the prevention of further spread.

 

We also communicated by conference call with area industry on steps they are taking to assure that no ill workers are entering their facilities and that workers are being screened in accordance with CDC guidelines.

 

We opened our county call-in center at 8:00 am to allow nurses to telephonically screen citizens who have symptoms of COVID-19.  That number is (409) 550-2536.  Presently it is operational from 8:00am to 5:00pm, seven days a week.  As of March 20th, over 100 individuals in our five county area had been telephonically screened.

Please remember, the symptoms of COVID-19 are:

 

1.    Fever;

2.    Dry cough; and

3.    Shortness of breath.

 

If you are experiencing these symptoms avoid human interaction and self-quarantine until you can be telephonically screened and, if necessary, obtain a referral to a test site. 

 

Of course, if you are experiencing respiratory distress, call a hospital emergency room to let them know you are coming so that they can make adequate arrangements for your arrival.

We continue to stress the necessity to limit human interaction, to not gather in groups of more than 10, and to practice good hygiene by washing your hands 35-40 times per day and avoid touching your face.  

 

The Small Business Administration today approved Texas’ request for an Emergency Designation for Small Business Disaster loans.  For further information, please go to https://gov.texas.gov/.