Coronavirus: San Angelo Community Partners Take Action

SAN ANGELO, TX – San Angelo community partners come together to work through the emergency disaster declarations governing behavior for the next two weeks during the response to the Corona virus.  Here is information from the city of San Angelo as of now:

Daycare - The Texas Health and Human Services Commission (HHSC) stated that the Governor’s Order does not apply to child care centers and that they are to follow guidance provided by HHSC. Day cares are not required to close at this time but must follow strict sanitation rules. Please see the link for more clarification.

From the San Angelo Police Department

Officials Declare Comprehensive Plan in Wake of Statewide Health Alert

Officials with the San Angelo Police Department have been closely monitoring health officials in response to the emergence of the SARS-CoV-2 virus and the disease it causes, named “coronavirus disease 2019” (COVID-19).  At this time, no one knows how severe this outbreak will be.

Given this uncertainty, and the fact that the seasonal influenza (flu) virus is also widespread, civilian and sworn members of the San Angelo Police Department are taking proactive steps to address a number of concerns. Police Chief Frank Carter has enacted a comprehensive plan that will help reduce the unnecessary risk of exposure to our employees, as well as the citizens we serve.

We are diligently working to maintain a safe workplace and encourage practices protecting the health of our employees, customers and visitors to Police Headquarters and the SAPD satellite offices located at the City Hall Annex.

Common areas that are open to the public are being routinely disinfected under standard infectious disease protocol. We also want to ensure the continuity of business operations during what the World Health Organization has declared to be a pandemic. At present time, the Department’s Records Section, Evidence and Property Release Unit, Alarm Services and Administrative Offices are still functioning as normal.

In addition to the aggressive sanitation efforts, all department non-essential out-of-town travel has been canceled until further notice.

Furthermore, in an effort to reduce the risk of unnecessary exposure to our officers and citizens, effective immediately, the Department’s Online Reporting feature will become mandatory for certain crimes until further notice. They are as follows; theft, simple assault, garage burglary, criminal mischief/vandalism, harassment, lost property (firearms excluded), identity theft, and debit card/credit card abuse.

Please visit sanangelopolice.org/coplogic for a detailed list of instructions, as well as a list of crimes that are not reportable online.

The San Angelo Police Department must maintain a healthy, functioning workforce to be able to respond to priority calls and emergency situations. Therefore, based on the information provided by health officials, these steps have been taken to mitigate the risk of illness to our employees and citizens.

From the City of San Angelo Recreation Department

• Adult and Youth Sports: All COSA recreation youth and adult sports are postponed for indoors and outdoors until further notice.
• Nutrition Program and Senior Services: As of 11:59 p.m., March 20, the Station 618 and Santa Fe Crossing senior centers will be closed until further notice.
• Nature Center: Effective March 20 at 11:59 p.m., the San Angelo Nature Center will be closed to the public until further notice.
• Recreation Centers: As of 11:59 p.m., March 20, the Southside and Carl Ray Johnson recreation centers will be closed until further notice.

From the State of Texas: SBA Loan Application Now Available

This week, Governor Abbott announced that the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) has now granted Texas’ Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL) assistance declaration, making loans available statewide to small businesses and private, non-profit organizations to help alleviate economic injury caused by the Coronavirus (COVID-19).

Next Steps:

• Small businesses who believe they may be eligible for an SBA EIDL should visit the SBA’s website where they can directly apply for assistance. The online application is the fastest method to receive a decision about loan eligibility.
• For additional information on Texas business-related COVID-19 resources, including a list of required documentation for the SBA Loan process, visit gov.texas.gov/business/page/coronavirus.
• We know this is a difficult time for all Texans. Please don’t hesitate to contact our office if we can provide any additional information.

From Vitalant (United Blood Services)

The fear of coronavirus is severely impacting the U.S. blood supply as Vitalant and other blood centers across the country are struggling to maintain stable inventories and avoid a critical blood shortage. With school closures and business shutdowns, 25% of Vitalant’s blood collections anticipated in March have disappeared almost overnight. And that number continues to grow.
Government agencies are advising people to avoid gatherings. Blood donation operations at blood drives and donation centers are not gatherings but essential health care activities. Not having enough blood to meet basic patient needs will cause another public health crisis.

Dr. Peter Marks from the Food and Drug Administration has stated, “We need people to start turning out in force to give blood.” If you are healthy, it is imperative that you make or keep your appointment to give blood.  
If you are not feeling well, please do not donate. Vitalant does not test for COVID-19.

Donating blood is safe. The coronavirus does not pose any known risk to blood donors during the donation process.

Here’s what Vitalant is doing to protect our donors:

• Only healthy people are encouraged to come give blood. In fact, donors must be feeling well and free of respiratory illness symptoms, including fever, to be eligible to donate.
• People who meet certain travel and other at-risk criteria for coronavirus infection are deferred ahead of time from donating.
• Our staff wears gloves and personal protective gear and wipe down donor-touched areas often and after every collection using a disinfectant.
• Staff uses sterile, single-use collection sets for each donor and scrub the donor’s arm for 30 seconds before the collection.
• Staff who don’t feel well are required to stay home.

Thank you for stepping up and helping patients with a blood donation during this critical time. For questions, please call 1-877-25-VITAL (877-258-4825) or go to vitalant.org. The Vitalant Donation Center at 2020 W. Beauregard is expanding its hours beginning Monday, March 23.

• Monday – Thursday    10 a.m. – 8 p.m.
• Friday and Saturday    8 a.m. – 5 p.m.
• Sunday             8 a.m. – 12.30 p.m.