Texas' response to COVID-19: A week in review

Mar. 29--The Governor's Office continues to take action to address the many concerns that come along with the coronavirus/COVID-19 pandemic. This week, Gov. Greg Abbott took further measures to mitigate the spread and effects of the virus.

Friday, March 20

Gov. Abbott Postpones Runoff Primary Election In Response To COVID-19

Gov. Greg Abbott Friday, March 20 issued a proclamation postponing the runoff primary election until July 14, 2020 -- the same date as the special election for Texas State Senate District 14. The runoff election was originally scheduled for May 26, but has been postponed in conjunction with the state's ongoing efforts to mitigate the spread of COVID-19.

The postponement of this election serves to help fulfill the Governor's recent executive orders mandating certain obligation for Texans that are aimed at slowing the spread of COVID-19, including the encouragement of social distancing. Holding the runoff in May would cause the congregation of large gatherings of people in confined spaces and cause numerous election workers to come into close proximity with others. This would threaten the health and safety of many Texans.

Early voting for the postponed runoff primary election will begin Monday, July 6, 2020.

Gov. Abbott Announces Approval Of Emergency Designation For Small Business Disaster Loans From U.S. Small Business Administration

Gov. Greg Abbott Friday, March 20 announced that the U.S. Small Business Administration has included the entire state of Texas in its Economic Injury Disaster Declaration and granted access to its Economic Injury Disaster Loan program, which will provide long-term, low-interest loans to qualifying businesses across the state.

"Small businesses are the foundation of our state's economy and they need all the help they can get as the ripple effects of COVID-19 impact their everyday operations," Abbott said. "Today's decision by the U.S. Small Business Administration to make Economic Injury Disaster Loans available to qualifying small businesses across Texas is a vital lifeline for Texas small business owners who are doing their best to adapt to these trying times."

The Governor's request was driven by COVID-19-related economic losses across Texas related to major event cancellations, loss of walk-in customers, depletion of stock from suppliers, and client cancellations. Governor Abbott also commented on the SBA's rapid turnaround to a request he made by letter just three days ago.

"The overriding message of this time in history is that we are all in this together," Abbott said. "From people responsibly remaining at home to protect themselves and their communities to the small businesses adapting to serve them, Texans are showing their willingness to serve the greater good and that's why we'll overcome this together. That's what Texans do. We are not only Texas Strong, we are #TexasBizStrong."

Texas small businesses who believe they may be eligible for an SBA EIDL should visit www.sba.gov/disaster where they can directly apply for assistance. The online application is the fastest method to receive a decision about loan eligibility.

Saturday, March 21

Gov. Abbott Takes Action to Expand Nursing Workforce

Gov. Greg Abbott has waived several regulations to help meet Texas' growing need for nurses as the state responds to the COVID-19 virus. The Governor's actions will expand Texas' active nursing workforce by doing the following:

Allowing temporary permit extensions to practice for graduate nurses and graduate vocational nurses who have yet to take the licensing exam.

Allowing students in their final year of nursing school to meet their clinical objectives by exceeding the 50% limit on simulated experiences.

Allowing nurses with inactive licenses or retired nurses to reactivate their licenses.

"In the coming weeks and months, Texas will continue to see a growing need for medical professionals to help us respond to these unique and challenging times," Abbott said. "With these actions, Texas is taking an important step to meet that need. Nurses are essential to our ability to test for this virus, provide care for COVID-19 patients, and to continue providing other essential health care services. Suspending these regulations will allow us to bring additional skilled nurses into the workforce to assist with our efforts and enhance our COVID-19 response."

Sunday, March 22

Gov. Abbott Issues Executive Order Increasing Hospital Capacity, Announces Supply Chain Strike Force For COVID-19 Response

Gov. Greg Abbott Sunday signed an Executive Order to expand hospital bed capacity as the state responds to the COVID-19 virus. These actions will reinforce Texas' health care capabilities and provide additional space for hospitals to provide care to COVID-19 patients. Under this order, the Governor directed all licensed health care professionals and facilities to postpone all surgeries and procedures that are not immediately, medically necessary to correct a serious medical condition or to preserve the life of a patient who without immediate performance of the surgery or procedure would be at risk for serious adverse medical consequences or death, as determined by the patient's physician. This does not apply to any procedure that, if performed in accordance with the commonly accepted standard of clinical practice, would not deplete the hospital capacity or the personal protective equipment needed to cope with the COVID-19 disaster.

The Governor also suspended certain regulations as requested by the Texas Health and Human Services Commission to allow for increased occupancy of hospital rooms -- meaning hospitals will be able to treat more than one patient in a patient room, thus increasing their ability to care for the growing number of COVID-19 patients.

Additionally, the Governor announced the creation of a temporary Supply Chain Strike Force -- immediately naming Keith Miears, Senior Vice President of Worldwide Procurement at Dell Technologies, to serve as Supply Chain Director for the state of Texas. Miears will be supported by former State Representative John Zerwas, MD, who will assist with hospital relations and preparedness, Clint Harp, Vice President of Transmission Strategic Services for the Lower Colorado River Authority, who will assist with asset research and procurement, and Elaine Mendoza, Chair of the A&M Board of Regents, who will assist with statewide child care infrastructure for critical workers.

The Supply Chain Strike Force will be tasked with guiding collaboration between the public and private sectors to ensure health care facilities have the supplies and resources they need to respond to COVID-19. In addition to working with the federal government and businesses to secure necessary personal protective equipment, the team will work to ensure day-to-day resources (including food) are available for Texas' medical personnel, first responders and those who have contracted COVID-19.

"We have seen how this virus has progressed in other states and nations, and it is vital that Texas stays ahead of the curve as the situation develops here," Abbott said. "Patient care capacity is essential during this time, which is why the state of Texas is taking action to increase hospital bed capacity, provide additional space for medical personnel to care for patients, and ensure that healthcare facilities have the supplies needed to respond to COVID-19. Along with this Executive Order, the Supply Chain Strike Force will play a crucial role in addressing these needs by helping to secure and expedite the distribution of resources across the state. These are unprecedented times, and Texas will continue to take robust action to protect our communities and support those serving on the front lines of the COVID-19 response."

The Governor's Executive Order takes effect immediately, and remains in effect and in full force until 11:59 p.m. on April 21, 2020, unless it is modified, amended, rescinded, or superseded by the Governor.

Monday, March 23

Gov. Abbott Announces Distribution of Federal Funding For COVID-19 Response

Gov. Greg Abbott Monday announced that Texas has received $36.9 million from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention as part of the state's initial allotment of funding from the first emergency coronavirus bill passed by Congress. The Texas Department of State Health Services will distribute $19.5 million to 43 local health departments to aid in their COVID-19 response. This includes $1.75 million for Dallas County, Tarrant County, and the San Antonio Metro Health District where operations have been impacted by federal activities. The remaining funds will be used by DSHS to support operations in areas of the state not covered by local health departments and for statewide response activities.

These funds will be used to strengthen Texas' community intervention efforts to slow the spread of COVID-19 and preserve critical healthcare, workforce, and infrastructure functions, while minimizing social and economic impact. In addition, these funds will be used to scale up Texas' surveillance, lab testing, and reporting capabilities.

"The State of Texas is at a crucial stage in our COVID-19 response, and these funds are essential to supporting health authorities throughout the state to scale-up testing and community intervention efforts," Abbott said. "To ensure these resources are used swiftly and effectively, a majority of the funds will go directly to our local health departments which understand best the needs of their communities. I thank President Trump, the Texas delegation, and leaders in Congress for quickly passing this aid package. The State of Texas continues to work with federal and local partners to give our communities the resources and support they need as we work to mitigate the spread of COVID-19."

For an overview of the first allotment of funding, visit https://gov.texas.gov/news/post/governor-abbott-announces-distribution-of-federal-funding-for-covid-19-response

Tuesday, March 24

Gov. Abbott Announces Increased PPE Supply, Issues Executive Order To Strengthen Reporting Capabilities

Gov. Greg Abbott held a press conference Tuesday to provide an update on incoming supplies of Personal Protective Equipment and other resources to aid Texas' response to COVID-19. The Governor announced that the newly established Supply Chain Strike Force has already secured more than $83 million of purchase orders for essential supplies. Additionally, the Governor announced that the Texas Division of Emergency Management will begin receiving 100,000 masks per day by the end of this week and the Supply Chain Strike Force will begin receiving an additional 100,000 masks per day by the end of next week--meaning the State of Texas will soon be receiving more than one million masks per week.

The Governor also announced the launch of an online portal run by the Supply Chain Strike Force to streamline the process and validation of leads for more supplies. The portal, accessible throughwww.texas.gov, will serve as an intake process for those wanting to provide valid leads on PPE and donations. The portal also serves as a portal for those wanting to donate supplies, services, or your time--including medical professionals and nurses looking to volunteer.

"The State of Texas is rapidly accelerating the purchasing and delivery of essential personal protection equipment and other supplies to aid in our COVID-19 response," Governor Abbott said. "The Supply Chain Strike Force is working in concert with the Texas Division of Emergency Management to secure these vital resources and to swiftly distribute them to medical professionals, hospitals, and first responders in communities throughout the state. We thank all those who have already offered donations to meet our supply needs. I urge all Texans who would like to donate essential supplies and all medical professionals who are willing to volunteer their time and expertise to visitwww.texas.gov to find out how they can help."

The Governor also issued an Executive Order to better track both hospital bed capacity and COVID-19 test results across the state. The Executive Order requires all hospitals, excluding psychiatric hospitals, to submit daily reports on hospital bed capacity to the Texas Department of State Health Services (DSHS) who will then share this information with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). The order also requires every public or private entity utilizing FDA-approved COVID-19 tests to submit daily reports of all results to the local health department and DSHS who will then share this information with the CDC.

Gov. Abbott Authorizes Restaurants To Sell Bulk Retail Product From Distributors To The Public

Gov. Greg Abbott has directed the Texas Department of State Health Services to issue guidance allowing restaurants to sell bulk retail products from restaurant supply chain distributors directly to consumers provided that such foods are in their original condition, packaging, or presented as received by the restaurant. Under this guidance, restaurants will be able to sell items like packaged meat, fruit and vegetables, and dry goods directly to the public to prepare and consume at home.

This guidance will allow distributors and restaurants to provide Texans another source of food outside of grocery stores and prepared food from restaurants. These bulk food items would be available for purchase through restaurants offering drive-thru, delivery, pick-up, and curbside service.

"A vital part of our COVID-19 response is to ensure that there are readily available supplies of food and resources, whether that is at grocery stores or, in this case, restaurants," Abbott said. "This guidance gives Texans another easily accessible option to buy the food they need to support their families. The State of Texas continues to work with distributors, retailers, and restaurants to ensure they have the support they need to continue providing for Texans. I thank Representative Tan Parker, the Texas Restaurant Association, and the Department of State Health Services for their collaboration to take this important step to help Texas families as our state responds to COVID-19."

Wednesday, March 25

Gov. Abbott Announces Approval Of Major Disaster Declaration

Governor Greg Abbott Wednesday released a statement thanking President Trump for issuing a Major Disaster Declaration for the State of Texas. This announcement comes after the Governor requested the declaration--citing the need for additional federal assistance to save lives, to protect property, public health, and safety, and to lessen or avert the threat of COVID-19.

"Texas is aggressively pursuing and implementing all necessary strategies to limit the impact of COVID-19, and I thank President Trump for his swift action to issue a Major Disaster Declaration for the State of Texas," Abbott said. "The President's declaration opens up new sources of funding for individual and public assistance that will help Texas respond to this public health emergency and protect public health and safety."

Gov. Abbott Waives Certain Licensing Renewal Regulations, Fees For Nurses

Gov. Greg Abbott has waived certain regulations from the Texas Board of Nursing regarding licensing renewal and subsequent fees for nurses in Texas. The Governor's waiver authorizes a six-month grace period for nurses with expired licenses. This grace period will allow nurses who are otherwise in good standing to continue practicing and will give them additional time to renew their license without added fees and penalties.

"Nurses are essential to protecting the public health and safety of our communities as we combat the COVID-19 virus," Abbott said. "With these temporary waivers, nurses in Texas can continue caring for patients without worrying about potential delays or barriers imposed by the licensing renewal process. We are grateful for the nurses serving throughout our state, and Texas are committed to ensuring they have the resources and support they need to do their jobs as we face this public health emergency."

Gov. Abbott Takes Action To Expand Texas Hospital Capacity

Gov. Greg Abbott temporarily waived certain hospital licensing rules Wednesday and the Texas Health and Human Services Commission has adopted an emergency rule to meet Texas' need for additional hospital capacity while the state responds to COVID-19. These actions allow for certain facilities that have pending licenses or facilities that have been closed for no more than 36 months to come online under existing hospital building licenses. These facilities will be administered and operated by hospitals with existing licenses. The waivers also remove certain mileage restrictions which will allow hospitals to operate additional facilities that are more than 30 miles away from the main licensed hospital.

"One of our top objectives is to ensure that COVID-19 patients in Texas who need a hospital bed will have access to a bed," Abbott said. "There are healthcare facilities across the state that have either recently closed or have yet to receive a license, but are otherwise ideal locations to aid in our COVID-19 response. By waiving these rules, we can quickly bring many of these facilities online to help Texas communities maximize their hospital capacity and provide care to Texans in need."

Additionally, Gov. Abbott has directed HHSC to waive certain regulatory requirements regarding facility license renewals. These waivers will allow general, special, and psychiatric hospitals, free-standing emergency medical facilities, and end-stage renal facilities to renew their license without submitting a fire marshal's report. The facilities will still be required to update their records at a later date.

Gov. Greg Abbott Announces Federal Grant For Senior Citizen Meals

Gov. Greg Abbott announced Wednesday that Texas has received a $16.2 million grant from the Department of Health and Human Services' Administration for Community Living to help communities provide meals for older adults.

The grant was part of a $250 million dollar outlay authorized by the Families First Coronavirus Response Act, signed into law by President Trump on March 18, 2020. Originally created by the Older Americans Act of 1965, these programs provide meals to more than 2.4 million older adults nationwide each year, both through home delivery and in places like community centers.

"This grant is especially timely given the disproportionately high toll that COVID-19 has been taking on seniors around the world," Abbott said. "As social distancing measures increasingly and appropriately limit people's social mobility, it is imperative that alternate means for feeding our state's elderly like Meals on Wheels receive additional resources to handle the growing need."

Texas will receive its proportional grant, $16,205,796, second only to California ($25 million) and Florida ($18 million) this week for further distribution to local meal providers.

Older adults who need assistance can contact the Eldercare Locator to find services available in their community. The Eldercare Locator can be reached at 1-800-677-1116 or https://eldercare.acl.gov/.

For more information about the Texas response to COVID-19, please visit https://texas.gov/#covid19/.

For more information about the Older Americans Act nutrition programs, please visithttps://ACL.gov.

Gov. Abbott Seeks Permission For SNAP Recipients To Use Their Benefits To Take Out And Drive-thru Restaurants

Gov. Greg Abbott and the Texas Health and Human Services Commission sent a letter Wednesday to the United States Department of Agriculture seeking permission to move forward to allow Texas Supplemental Nutritional Assistance Program recipients to use their benefits at take out and drive thru restaurants throughout the state as Texas continues to combat COVID-19. If approved, it would open up another food source for 3.2 million Texans.

"As we continue in our efforts to combat COVID-19, the state must do everything it can to make life more manageable for citizens and ensure that Texans can provide meals for their families," Abbott said. "This waiver will go a long way in doing just that. I urge the federal government to quickly approve this waiver, giving Texans another food option during this public health emergency."

Thursday, March 26

Gov. Abbott Issues Executive Orders Mandating 14-day Quarantine For Travelers From New York Tri-state Area, New Orleans

Gov. Greg Abbott held a press conference Thursday at the State Capitol where he issued an Executive Order mandating a self-quarantine of 14 days for individuals traveling to Texas as their final destination through an airport from the Tri-State Area of New York, New Jersey, or Connecticut as well as the city of New Orleans, Louisiana. This Executive Order is consistent with the guidance of Dr. Anthony Fauci and Dr. Deborah Birx of the White House Coronavirus Task Force and will be enforced by the Texas Department of Public Safety.

During this period, a quarantined person shall not allow visitors into or out of the designated quarantine location, other than a physician or healthcare provider, and cannot visit any public spaces. These mandatory self-quarantines will last a period of 14 days or for the duration of a person's presence in Texas, whichever is shorter.

"The State of Texas continues to act upon the recommendations of top state, federal, and local health experts as we implement a comprehensive strategy to limit the spread of COVID-19," Abbott said. "The New York Tri-State Area and the City of New Orleans have become major centers of this pandemic, and it is vital that we take necessary precautions to prevent additional exposure that could originate from people traveling from these areas to Texas. This Executive Order is another important measure we are taking to protect the health and safety of Texans, and we will continue to take any action necessary to mitigate exposure to COVID-19 in our state."

Those entering Texas as their final destination from the designated areas will use a form from DPS to designate their quarantine location. DPS special agents will conduct unannounced visits to designated quarantine locations to verify compliance. Failure to comply with this order is considered a criminal offense that is punishable by up to a $1,000 fine, up to 180 days in jail, or both.

This order to self-quarantine shall not apply to people traveling in connection with military service, emergency response, health response, or critical-infrastructure functions, as may be determined by the Texas Division of Emergency Management. This Executive Order will remain in effect and in full force until modified, amended, rescinded, or superseded by the Governor.

The Governor was joined for the press conference by Texas Department of State Health Services Commissioner John Hellerstedt, MD, and TDEM Chief Nim Kidd.

Gov. Abbott Announces HHSC Request of 1135 Medicaid Waiver

Gov. Greg Abbott announced Thursday that the Texas Health and Human Services Commission has submitted a Section 1135 Medicaid Waiver to the Center for Medicare and Medicaid. If approved, this would grant Texas flexibility in administering Medicaid while the state continues to respond to COVID-19.

"The flexibilities we are requesting will help ensure Texans on Medicaid continue to have their routine needs met, even as the state responds to COVID-19," Abbott said. "I ask CMS to grant this waiver so that we can expand care capacity for Texans who utilize services through Medicaid."

If approved, the federal flexibilities would include:

Temporarily extending existing prior authorizations for services so that Texans can get the care they need without delay.

Extending deadlines for state fair hearings and appeals.

Allowing services to be performed by telehealth, telemedicine, or telephonic contact.

Extending current medical necessity, service authorizations, and level of care authorizations for Medicaid programs.

Allowing the state to waive any requirements that require the signature of a physician, durable medical equipment provider, or Medicaid recipient.

Streamlining provider enrollment for out-of-state and new providers to increase the number of providers in Texas, which will ensure continued access to care.

Waiving requirements that health care professionals be licensed in the state in which they are providing services, so long as they have equivalent licensing in another state.

HHSC will also be seeking additional regulatory flexibilities through the Section 1135 Medicaid waiver related to federal requirements for long-term care providers, intermediate care facilities, home and community-based services programs, and hospitals.

If granted, this Section 1135 Medicaid waiver flexibilities would remain in place for as long as necessary during the public health emergency.

Gov. Abbott Requests Release of Federal Unemployment Funds

Gov. Greg Abbott Thursday announced his request for access to interest-free federal loans (known as Title XII funds) to pay unemployment claims and the accelerated release of funds from the Texas account of the federal Unemployment Trust Fund. Title XII is a federal process that allows states to receives advances (loans) from the federal government to continue to cover Unemployment Benefit payments without disruption.

In a request letter to Secretary of Labor Eugene Scalia, Governor Abbott authorized the Texas Workforce Commission to officially request access to these additional funds.

"As job loss and other economic impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic grow, we are committed to drawing upon all available resources to help Texas hardest hit by the crisis," Governor Abbott said. "With claims on the rise, our current balance of unemployment funds is projected to run out by the end of next month, so we must accelerate the delivery of necessary dollars."

Department of Labor approval would allow Texas to apply for federal loans that would be interest-free through the end of the current calendar year. In the past, TWC has taken such loans then issued bonds to pay them off. In every case, the agency has never missed making a payment to an eligible claimant.

"The Texas Workforce Commission is committed to ensuring all Texans who are eligible receive unemployment funds," said Bryan Daniel, chairman of the Texas Workforce Commission. "This approach, which has served Texas well during hurricane recovery and the recession of 2008, should do so again."

Friday, March 27

Governor Abbott Announces National Guard Deployment in Support of COVID-19 Response

As part of the state's ongoing response to COVID-19, Gov. Greg Abbott Friday announced the deployment of three National Guard Joint Task Force Brigades. The 72nd Infantry Brigade Combat Team, the 56th Infantry Brigade Combat Team, and the 176th Engineer Brigade will operate ten general support units located throughout the state.

"Whether it's overseas combat, major storms, or deadly viruses, the Texas National Guard is always quick to defend and serve their fellow Texans," Abbott said. "Texans can be grateful that these troops are now standing their post alongside healthcare professionals and first responders on the front lines of this crisis."

The Governor has ordered an initial focus on two critical missions that will directly benefit from Texas National Guard's unparalleled logistics capabilities, medical expertise, communications support, infrastructure maintenance, and transportation assets: assisting drive through testing sites and bolstering the state's healthcare infrastructure.

Over the past week, Guard members have practiced erecting and running drive through testing site locations alongside medical staff to ensure a well-coordinated process that allows Texans to access COVID-19 screenings in a safe, efficient way that also limits contact with potentially infected members of the public.

The Guard is also rolling out support for the state's healthcare infrastructure with medical providers, equipment, and supplies needed to provide access to care. As the response advances, Guardsmen will continue working with partners at the local, state, and national levels to identify and develop additional locations that can be converted to healthcare facilities.

"We are citizen soldiers and we find our highest calling in serving our fellow citizens, no matter where duty calls us," said Major General Tracy R. Norris, the adjutant general of Texas and commander of the Texas National Guard. "This will be no easy task but we have faced difficult times before. With the commitment of our soldiers and support of the community we will show the world that we are Texas strong and Texas proud, and together we will overcome this challenge."

Governor Abbott also stressed that these taskings will not diminish the Guard's ability to meet operational commitments including the Texas border mission and overseas deployments.

To ensure responding Guard members are healthy, trained medical staff will be attached to each unit and provide screenings before each Guard member is approved for the mission. Any Guard member showing signs of illness will receive treatment and the needed resources to recover while following all requirements outlined by the CDC. This measure will keep responding units healthy and reduce the potential spread of COVID-19.

Gov. Abbott Announces New Processes To Preserve And Extend Child Care Capacity For Front Line Workers

Gov. Greg Abbott Friday waived certain Texas Workforce Commission regulations to preserve and extend child care capacity for front line workers. These waivers will allow TWC the flexibility to respond to child care needs, and are part of the Governor's work through the Supply Chain Strike Force to strengthen child care infrastructure for critical workers during the COVID-19 response. These waivers ensure that families using child care subsidized through TWC will not lose their slots during this interim period while the state battles COVID-19, and it secures payment to child care providers throughout this time.

"Through these waivers, TWC will be able to better respond to the child care needs of our front line workers in Texas," Abbott said. "We remain committed to working with TWC and other state entities to ensure Texans serving on the front lines of the COVID-19 response have the support they need."

Children within TWC's child care services program will be able to accrue absences due to COVID-19 without impacting ongoing eligibility or provider reimbursements. TWC will also be able to waive parent share of cost requirements and direct local workforce development boards to make supplemental emergency payments to child care programs to offset payments lost due to COVID-19. Additionally, these waivers will allow TWC to temporarily broaden the definition of "protective services" to include children of workers on the front lines of the battle against COVID-19.

On the net:

https://gov.texas.gov/news/category/press-release

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