[1. Briefing and possible action regarding response and preparedness to COVID-19, including placement of third cohort of evacuees at Joint Base San Antonio - Lackland.]
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THE TIME IS 10:40 AM I'M GONNA ASK EVERYONE TO TAKE THEIR SEATS, UH, SO WE CAN BEGIN, UH, THE SPECIAL COUNSEL SESSION.
UM, AND I'LL GO AHEAD AND, UH, ASK THE CLERK TO CALL ROLL, AND THEN I'LL BEGIN BEFORE I TOSS IT OVER TO ERIC.
COUNCIL MEMBER ANDREW SULLIVAN.
COUNCIL MEMBER COURAGE PRESENT.
TIME'S 10:40 AM WELCOME TO OUR SPECIAL CITY COUNCIL MEETING FOR AN UPDATE ON THE C OVID 19 SITUATION.
UM, I WILL MAKE NOTE THAT THE CITY COUNCIL MAY CONVENE AN EXECUTIVE SESSION TO DISCUSS, UH, ONGOING LITIGATION, UH, AND OTHER MATTERS.
UM, AND I'LL AT THIS POINT TURN IT OVER TO ERIC WALSH TO BEGIN OUR BRIEFING.
UM, SO THIS WAS AN OPPORTUNITY FOR US TO, UH, BRIEF THE COUNCIL.
WE DIDN'T HAVE A REGULAR SCHEDULED MEETING THIS WEEK, UH, TO BRIEF THE COUNCIL ON, UH, SOME OF THE ISSUES THAT HAVE TRANSPIRED OVER THE LAST, UM, 24 HOURS, BUT REALLY OVER THE LAST 72 HOURS, AS DISCUSSION HAS CONTINUED WITH, UH, THE HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES DEPARTMENT, WITH THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT, UH, LET ME, LET ME GIVE YOU, UM, KIND OF AN UPDATE.
UM, AND FOR THOSE LISTENING, UM, I THINK IT WOULD BE BENEFICIAL.
ON SATURDAY NIGHT, WE WERE NOTIFIED BY HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES, UH, PERSONNEL, UM, THAT, UH, ADDITIONAL INDIVIDUALS FROM THE CRUISE SHIP OFF THE COAST OF CALIFORNIA WOULD BE BROUGHT TO LACKLAND AIR FORCE BASE.
UM, AT THAT TIME, THERE WERE, UM, THERE WERE SIX MAIN ISSUES, AND, AND WE COMMUNICATED THIS, THAT WE HAD CONCERNS WITH, UH, AND HAD COMMITMENTS FROM THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT TO RESOLVE, UH, NUMBER ONE, THAT, UH, WE WERE REQUESTING ADDITIONAL TESTING KITS, UH, FOR THE COMMUNITY.
THAT'S BEEN A, A NATIONWIDE, UM, PRESS.
AND, UM, THAT WAS ONE OF THE ISSUES THAT WE WERE PRESSING WITH, UH, H H S, THAT, UM, ANY, UM, POTENTIAL EVACUEES THAT COME TO SAN ANTONIO FROM THE CRUISE SHIP, UM, THAT THOSE INDIVIDUALS BE BOTH FLOWN IN AND OUT OF LACKLAND, UM, IN ORDER TO, UH, MINIMIZE, UM, ANY SORT OF POTENTIAL EXPOSURE.
THREE AND VERY IMPORTANT TO US WAS THAT WE WANTED, UH, WE WERE REQUESTING, UH, WRITTEN PROCEDURES THAT COVER THE TESTING, QUARANTINE, UH, THE TRANSFER OF PATIENTS AND THE RELEASE, UM, AND A CLEAR UNDERSTANDING, UH, OF THOSE, UM, PROCEDURES IN ADVANCE OF, UH, THE, UH, ACTIVITY.
FOURTH, UH, WE WERE REQUESTING THAT A SENIOR LEVEL FEDERAL REPRESENTATIVE BE LOCATED IN SAN ANTONIO, WHO HAD THE AUTHORITY TO COORDINATE AND COMMUNICATE WITH OUR LOCAL UNIFIED COMMAND AND THE CITY AND THE COUNTY.
UM, THERE HAVE BEEN A NUMBER OF FOLKS FROM H H S AND C D C ON THE GROUND WHO HAVE DONE A REALLY GREAT JOB AND HAVE WORKED WELL WITH, UM, UH, WITH THE CITY AND OTHER PARTNERS.
UH, BUT ONE OF THE THINGS WE WERE ASKING IS THAT SOMEBODY HERE WITH THE AUTHORITY TO COORDINATE WITH US.
UM, THE FIFTH ITEM, UH, WAS THAT, UM, UH, WE WERE LOOKING FOR ASSURANCES THAT INDIVIDUALS THAT MIGHT BE TESTED POSITIVE, UM, BUT DON'T REQUIRE HOSPITALIZATION, UM, WHAT FEDERAL PROPERTY THEY WERE GONNA BE HELD ON.
AND SIXTH AND FINALLY, UH, THIS PHONE CALL FROM SATURDAY, UM, IT WAS UNCLEAR TO US BEYOND, UM, UM, THE NUMBER OF, UM, INDIVIDUALS FROM TEXAS THAT WOULD, UH, BE, UH, BROUGHT TO SAN ANTONIO.
SO WE WERE ASKING HOW MANY PEOPLE ARE COMING.
AS MANY OF YOU KNOW, UH, WE HAVE BEEN, UM, THERE HAVE BEEN TWO EFFORTS HERE LOCALLY, UM, THAT WE HAVE BEEN UNDERTAKING FOR THE LAST MONTH.
UH, THE FIRST IS, UM, UM, IN A ROLE OF SUPPORTING AND HELPING TO COORDINATE, UM, THE EVACUATION.
UH, THESE EVACUEES WHO ARE AT LACKLAND, WHERE NECESSARY US ALONG THE, WITH THE STATE, HAVE BEEN ASSISTING WITH THAT.
IN PARALLEL WITH THAT, UM, HAS BEEN THE LOCAL INFORMATION PRESENTATIONS, PREPARATION FOR WHAT WE NEED TO DO FOR THIS COMMUNITY AND ONGOING COORDINATION WITH THE HOSPITALS AND THE BUSINESS COMMUNITY.
UM, LAST NIGHT, UH, WE WERE NOTIFIED,
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UM, LATE, LATE AFTERNOON, EARLY EVENING ON A PHONE CALL THAT INDIVIDUALS WOULD, UM, WOULD ARRIVE.UH, THERE WAS ONE PLANE LOAD THAT CAME IN ABOUT 8 30, 8 45 INTO LACKLAND WITH 98 INDIVIDUALS, 91 ARE FROM THE STATE OF TEXAS.
UM, THESE, ALL THESE INDIVIDUALS, ACCORDING TO H H SS, UM, WERE ASYMPTOMATIC, HAD NOT BEEN TESTED, BUT, BUT HAD BEEN SCREENED BEFORE THEY, UH, BOARDED THE PLANE.
UM, WE HAVE BEEN TOLD THAT THEY WILL NOT BE TESTED, UH, ONCE THEY ARRIVE HERE UNLESS, UNLESS THEY, UH, START TO DEVELOP SYMPTOMS. UM, AND THAT A SECOND PLANE, UH, WITH, UH, UP TO 120 INDIVIDUALS WOULD COME TODAY.
I KNOW THERE'S BEEN SEVERAL, UH, NEWS REPORTS LAST NIGHT THAT SHOWED 380 INDIVIDUALS.
THAT'S NOT A NUMBER THAT WAS SHARED, UH, WITH THE MAYOR AND MYSELF.
UH, WE DID SEND THAT INFORMATION TO, OR THAT THOSE NEWS REPORTS TO HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES, AND, UM, UM, WE HAVE NOT RECEIVED ANY SORT OF, UH, RESPONSE FROM THEM AT THIS POINT.
UM, ALL THESE INDIVIDUALS ARE BEING HELD AT, AT, UH, OR ARE BEING, UH, UM, HOUSED THAT AT LACKLAND AIR FORCE BASE.
UM, THERE WERE NO ISSUES OVERNIGHT, UH, WHICH IS GOOD.
WE HAVE, UH, STRAC WHO IS THE, UH, COORDINATING AGENCY FOR ALL THE LOCAL HOSPITALS, IS, IS, UH, COORDINATING, UM, UM, ALL THOSE OPERATIONS THAT ARE IN SUPPORT.
AND SO THERE WERE, UM, BASED ON MY, MY, UH, CALL WITH THE DIRECTOR THIS MORNING, THERE WERE NO ISSUES, UH, OVERNIGHT.
UH, THERE ARE A COUPLE OF THINGS THAT, UH, I THINK ARE IMPORTANT, UH, FOR US TO CONTINUE TO FOLLOW UP WITH THE, WITH THE, UH, FEDERAL GOVERNMENT.
UH, NUMBER ONE WOULD BE, UM, THE COORDINATED RELEASE.
IF THESE INDIVIDUALS HAVEN'T BEEN TESTED, UH, WE'D LIKE TO BE ABLE TO COORDINATE THAT.
WE'RE ASSUMING THAT, UM, THE FLYING OUT OF LACKLAND IS STILL WHAT THEY'RE PLANNING ON.
I KNOW THEY'VE HAD SIMILAR CONVERSATIONS WITH THE STATE OF TEXAS, AND I'LL SAY THAT I THINK PROBABLY OVER THE LAST FOUR OR FIVE DAYS WE'VE BEEN, UH, VERY ALIGNED WITH THE GOVERNOR'S OFFICE AND, UM, IN TERMS OF OUR, UH, DEMANDS OR, UH, REQUESTS FROM THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT.
UM, AS I MENTIONED EARLIER, THERE'S ALSO KIND OF THE ONGOING EFFORT WE'VE GOT, UM, IN MAKING SURE THAT OUR LOCAL, UM, COMMUNITY AND BUSINESSES AND RESIDENTS, UM, HAVE, UH, THE LATEST INFORMATION.
UH, WE HAVE, UM, A TEAM OF FOLKS FROM, UH, OUR HEALTH DEPARTMENT WHO HAVE CONDUCTED A NUMBER OF PRESENTATIONS AND HAVE A NUMBER, UH, LATER ON THIS WEEK.
UM, MARY, YOU HAD THE, UH, WE HAD THE, UH, THE, UM, TELECONFERENCE ON MONDAY THAT, UM, WAS OPEN TO, SENT OUT TO OVER 600 BUSINESSES OR 800 BUSINESSES, UH, TO, TO, UM, UH, INVITE THEM TO, UH, JOIN AND ASK QUESTIONS.
I THINK THAT WAS REALLY SUCCESSFUL.
UM, AND WE'LL PROBABLY PLAN ON DOING SOMETHING SIMILAR TO CONTINUE TO UPDATE THE COMMUNITY.
UH, IT'S AN EASY WAY OF GETTING A LOT OF PEOPLE, UH, ENGAGED AND BEING ABLE TO ANSWER QUESTIONS WITHOUT HAVING TO CONGREGATE AND, UM, FIND A FACILITY AND, AND DO THAT TYPE OF STUFF.
SO WE WILL LIKELY CONTINUE TO DO THAT, UH, AS CONDITIONS CHANGE.
UM, JUST IN TERMS OF, UM, UH, THE STATE OF TEXAS, I DID WANNA SHARE WITH THE COUNCIL AND, UH, WE, WE JUST, UH, PASSED OUT A MEMO THAT WE'LL MAKE SURE THAT THIS MEMO WAS GONNA GO TO YOU THIS MORNING.
UM, BUT IF YOU'LL NOTICE UNDER THE CURRENT SITUATION IN TEXAS, THERE ARE 14, UH, TOTAL CONFIRMED CASES, UH, IN, UH, IN TEXAS.
ONE IN COLLIN COUNTY, SIX IN FORT BEND COUNTY, SIX IN HARRIS COUNTY, AND ONE IN GREG COUNTY.
UH, SO WE HAVE A TOTAL OF, UH, 16 CASES.
AND, UM, WE'LL CONTINUE TO MONITOR THAT WITH THE STATE AND THEN PROVIDE THOSE UPDATES, UH, TO, UH, TO YOU AND THE COMMUNITY.
UM, AS I MENTIONED EARLIER, WE ARE EXPECTING AN ADDITIONAL PLANE.
UH, WE HAVE NOT BEEN NOTIFIED OF ANY SORT OF POTENTIAL ARRIVAL TIME OR DEPARTURE TIME AND ARRIVAL TIME, AND WE'LL CONTINUE TO, UM, UM, THE, THE WAY THIS HAPPENED YESTERDAY, WE GOT A PHONE CALL AND, UH, SO WE'LL, UH, BE ON THE STANDBY, UH, FOR THAT.
UM, IN TERMS OF TESTING UPDATE, THE METRO HEALTH DISTRICT, UH, DOES HAVE, UM, THE CAPACITY TO TEST UP TO 500 INDIVIDUALS, AND WE REQUESTED ADDITIONAL TESTS.
UM, THE LABORATORY HAS COMPLETED THE VALIDATION STUDY, UM, AND AS OF MONDAY, UH, IS NOW, UH, READY TO, TO CONDUCT TESTS.
UM, IF ANYBODY'S WATCHED THE NEWS IN THE LAST 48 HOURS, THIS HAS BEEN A BIG ISSUE.
AND AS THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT HAS COMMITTED TO PUSHING
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THOSE TESTS, THAT AVAILABILITY OF TESTS OUT TO PRIVATE LABS AS WELL.UM, WHAT'S UNCLEAR, UH, AT LEAST AT THIS POINT, IS ANY GUIDANCE THAT THEY MAY HAVE FOR THOSE THAT MAY BE ELIGIBLE FOR TESTS.
UM, YOU'LL SEE ON THE MEMO THAT GOVERNOR ABBOTT HAS ASKED THAT TEXAS HEALTH INSURANCE PROVIDERS WAIVE ANY COSTS ASSOCIATED WITH, UH, UH, POTENTIALLY BEING EXPOSED TO INCLUDE DEDUCTIBLES ON TESTING VISITS, UH, AND ANY OUT-OF-NETWORK, UH, IMPACTS.
AND, UH, WE WILL CONTINUE TO MONITOR THAT AS WELL.
WE DO HAVE OUR HOTLINE AT THE HEALTH DEPARTMENT THAT HAS, UH, BEEN OPEN AND, UM, WE'VE RECEIVED OVER 60 CALLS IN THE LAST 24 HOURS.
EMRICH, UM, AND ERIC EPLEY SPOKE TO SOME, UH, MEDIA YESTERDAY BECAUSE WE ARE SEEING AN UPTICK IN 9 1 1 CALLS FOR FLU-LIKE CONDITIONS.
UM, THERE'S A PROTOCOL THAT WAS PUT IN PLACE, UH, ABOUT A WEEK AND A HALF AGO AT, UM, AT OUR DISPATCH CENTER WHERE IF YOU'RE CALLING FOR, UM, E M S AND FLU-LIKE CONDITIONS, THERE'S A SET OF PROTOCOLS OR QUESTIONS THAT THE DISPATCHER WILL ASK SO THAT ARRIVING UNITS ARE AWARE OF POTENTIAL, UM, EXPOSURE.
THINGS LIKE SIMPLE QUESTIONS LIKE, HAVE YOU RECENTLY TRAVELED? DO YOU LIVE WITH SOMEBODY WHO'S RECENTLY TRAVELED? UM, JUST SO THAT OUR, UH, FIRE PARAMEDICS, UH, HAVE A LITTLE BIT MORE SITUATIONAL AWARENESS AND, UH, WEAR THE PROPER EQUIPMENT WE HAVE, UM, UM, I HAVE SENT OUT, UM, A NUMBER OF, UM, ALL EMPLOYEE EMAILS TO UPDATE THE EMPLOYEES ON, ON, UM, THE CONDITIONS TO MAKE SURE THEY'RE AWARE.
UH, THE LATEST UPDATE I SENT TO THE EMPLOYEES YESTERDAY.
UM, AND, UH, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT, UH, THE, OUR BUILDING EQUIPMENT SERVICES DEPARTMENT DID A WEEK AND A HALF AGO WAS START TO, UH, ELEVATE THE, THE, UM, TYPE OF CLEANING WE DO IN OUR PUBLIC FACILITIES.
AND TO BE SENSITIVE ABOUT THAT, UM, I DID WANNA MENTION THAT, UM, THE FIRE DEPARTMENT, UM, AND I THINK THEY SHOULD BE DONE TODAY, OVER THE LAST TWO DAYS, HAS VISITED EVERY SENIOR FACILITY TO PROVIDE THEM INFORMATION.
AND, UH, THEY ARE ALSO VISITING 160 CARE HOMES.
UM, AS YOU'VE SEEN IN WASHINGTON STATE, UM, THOSE FACILITIES HAVE HAD SPECIFIC DIFFICULTY.
SO WE'VE HAD FIRE CREWS GO AND PROVIDE INFORMATION AND MAKE SURE THAT THEY'RE MAKING A CONNECTION WITH THOSE FACILITIES, AND THAT'LL BE COMPLETED TODAY.
MAYOR, COUNSEL, I, I THINK IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT THAT, UM, UH, AS THIS CONTINUES TO DEVELOP, UH, THAT WE ALL REMAIN, UH, NIMBLE ENOUGH TO, UH, BE ABLE TO REACT TO POTENTIAL, UH, BRIEFINGS TO THE COUNCIL, UH, THAT WE'LL POST WITHIN A 72 HOURS.
UM, THAT COULD MEAN WE HAVE A MEETING ON A SUNDAY AFTERNOON.
UM, IT COULD MEAN, UM, IT COULD MEAN WE DON'T, BUT, UH, I WOULD, UH, STRONGLY RECOMMEND THAT, THAT WE ALL JUST STAY, UH, CLOSE AND, UM, UH, PREPARED IN CASE WE NEED TO HAVE A SPECIAL MEETING AND WE CAN POST IT WITHIN A 72 HOUR BASIS.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH, ERIC, FOR THE BRIEFING.
I DO WANT TO COMMEND, UH, YOU AND THE STAFF, UH, FOR ONCE AGAIN DEMONSTRATING OUR LEVEL OF PREPARATION AND, AND, AND PROACTIVITY WITH REGARD TO, UM, THIS PRETTY DIFFICULT SITUATION WITH A LOT OF UNCERTAINTY.
UH, I KNOW THE PREPARATIONS THAT THEY HAVE UNDERWAY RIGHT NOW.
THERE'S GOOD COORDINATION WITH STRAC AND OUR MEDICAL TEAMS. OBVIOUSLY, WE HAVE TWO DIFFERENT SITUATIONS GOING ON RIGHT NOW.
ONE OF THEM IS THE, UM, OPERATION OF THE FEDERAL EVACUATIONS, BUT ALSO WHAT WE ARE REFERRING TO AS PHASE TWO OR WAVE TWO OF STANDING UP.
OUR PREPARATIONS ALL, ALL IN SUM, JUST SAY THAT OUR WORK HERE IS TO ENSURE THAT WE PREVENT, DELAY AND ULTIMATELY CONTAIN ANY COMMUNITY TRANSMISSION.
UH, I'M IN COMMUNICATION WITH, UH, MANY OF THE OTHER PEER MAYORS IN THE STATE.
UH, THEY'RE DOING THE SAME THINGS.
UM, AND AS WE SEE COMMUNITY TRANSMISSION INCREASE IN OTHER PARTS OF THE UNITED STATES, UH, OUR WORK CONTINUES TO TO DOUBLE.
SO, UM, WE DO HAVE, UM, SOME QUESTIONS.
AND THEN I THINK I DO THINK WE'RE GOING TO, UH, CONVENE AN EXECUTIVE SESSION AFTER SOME OF THESE QUESTIONS.
UM, AND THEN WE'LL COME BACK OUT.
UH, WE'LL START WITH COUNCIL MEMBER SANDOVAL.
UH, THANK YOU, ERIC, FOR CONVENING THIS MEETING AND FOR YOUR, UH, PRESENTATION TODAY AND TO ALL THE TEAM THAT'S BEEN WORKING, UH, NONSTOP.
UM, IT'S NOT JUST, UH, THE FIRE DEPARTMENT, THE HEALTH DEPARTMENT, BUT, UH, LOTS OF FOLKS IN COORDINATION.
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VERY MUCH.UM, THIS IS THE MOMENT WHEN YOU REALLY GET TO, TO SHINE, HUH? UM, SO, UM, THANK YOU FOR TELLING US ABOUT WHAT IS HAPPENING, UH, OUT IN THE PUBLIC REGARDING PHASE TWO, THE SENIOR FACILITIES, UM, UH, OTHER ISSUES LIKE THAT.
I THINK THAT'S VERY IMPORTANT.
UM, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I ALSO THINK IS IMPORTANT DURING THIS TIME IS TO MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE KEEPING THE PUBLIC INFORMED AND, UH, OBVIOUSLY THE COUNCIL INFORMED SO THAT WE CAN, UH, SUPPORT THE STAFF AS NEEDED.
UH, YOU MENTIONED, UH, REGULAR, REGULAR MEETINGS, I, OR MORE FREQUENT MEETINGS.
UM, BUT IN TERMS OF KEEPING THE, THE PUBLIC INFORMED, UM, I'M WONDERING IF YOU HAVE ENOUGH RESOURCES TO DO THAT RIGHT NOW.
UH, I THINK THAT'S GONNA BE CRITICAL IN THE ABSENCE OF INFORMATION PEOPLE MAY, UM, BE CONCERNED OR, UH, BE WORRIED.
SO IF I JUST WANTED TO PUT IT OUT THERE THAT IF YOU FELT YOU NEEDED, UH, TEMPORARY STAFF OR ADDITIONAL ASSISTANCE, I'D BE, UH, SUPPORTIVE OF A BUDGET AMENDMENT, UH, FOR THAT.
THAT'S A, THAT'S A GREAT POINT.
COUNCILWOMAN AND I, I, UM, UM, LET ME, LET ME EXPAND UPON THAT A LITTLE BIT.
UM, I THINK I HAVE THE ABILITY RIGHT NOW TO DO THAT, BUT IF I FEEL LIKE, UM, UM, LEMME GIVE YOU AN EXAMPLE.
UM, WE, UH, ORDERED, UH, SOME ADDITIONAL, UM, PROTECTION FOR PARAMEDICS LAST FRIDAY.
AND, UH, WE WENT THROUGH OUR PROCUREMENT PROCESS.
UH, I SIGNED OFF ON IT AS AN EMERGENCY ITEM OF PURCHASE, BUT IT'LL SHOW UP ON THE AGENDA NEXT WEEK AS A RATIFICATION.
UM, THOSE THINGS, I THINK WE'LL CONTINUE TO FOLLOW OUR NORMAL PROCESS.
UM, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE HAVE TALKED ABOUT IS BRINGING ON ADDITIONAL CONTRACTUAL HELP FOR MESSAGING.
AND, UM, AND, AND WE WILL BE PURSUING THAT, THAT'S A GREAT EXAMPLE.
UM, IT'S SOMETHING THAT, UM, THROUGH, UH, THE PIOS AND ALL THE DEPARTMENTS ARE BEING COORDINATED, BUT THERE'S A LOT OF INFORMATION OUT THERE, AND WE NEED TO MAKE SURE THAT IT'S CONSISTENT.
WE NEED TO MAKE SURE THAT IT'S AS IN MANY PLACES AND IN MANY DIFFERENT LANGUAGES, UH, AS POSSIBLE.
AND, AND WE WILL BE LOOKING FOR ADDITIONAL HELP.
AND, AND, UM, AS WE, UH, AS WE EXPERIENCE EXPENSES ASSOCIATED WITH THIS, WHEN WE HAVE EXPERIENCED EXPENSES TO DATE, UM, WE'RE GONNA BE CONTINUING TO TRACK THAT.
AND, UM, IF I FEEL LIKE, UM, I NEED ADDITIONAL AUTHORITY, THEN I WILL CERTAINLY COME TO THE COUNCIL AND, AND MAKE SURE THAT WE, WE KEEP THINGS MOVING.
I'VE ASKED FOR, UH, FOR A BRIEFING ON, UM, SOME OF THE OUTREACH THAT WE'RE DOING AT, UH, OUR UPCOMING COMMUNITY HEALTH AND EQUITY COMMITTEE, UM, MONDAY NIGHT.
SO I THINK THAT'LL BE A GREAT OPPORTUNITY TO HEAR MORE IN DETAIL, UH, SOME OF THE MESSAGING AND INFORMATION THAT'S BEING SHARED WITH, UH, EITHER BUSINESSES OR, UM, NON-PROFIT OR OTHER FACILITIES.
I THINK THAT'S GOING TO BE REALLY IMPORTANT FOR THE PUBLIC TO KNOW THAT WE'RE, UH, ACTING ON THAT AND ALSO WHAT THEY CAN DO IF THEY HAVEN'T RECEIVED A, A PRESENTATION THEMSELVES.
COUNCIL MEMBER SANDOVAL, COUNCIL MEMBER COURAGE.
UH, THANK YOU ERIC, FOR THE JOB THAT YOU AND YOUR STAFF FOR DOING, UH, LOOKING OUT FOR THE BENEFIT OF EVERYBODY IN THE CITY, AND I APPRECIATE, YEAH.
YOU'RE KEEPING US AS INFORMED AS YOU CAN.
I HAVE A QUESTION ABOUT THE, UH, THE PEOPLE WHO HAVE ARRIVED.
UH, YOU SAID THAT ALL OF THEM ARE ASYMPTOMATIC, WHICH MEANS THEY'RE NOT SHOWING ANY SYMPTOMS. IS THAT CORRECT? CORRECT.
UH, BUT YOU SAID NONE OF THEM WERE TESTED BEFORE THEY WERE SENT TO US, IS THAT CORRECT? THAT'S WHAT THE HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES DEPARTMENT REPORTED TO US, YES.
AND THEN I UNDERSTAND IN A NOTE THAT YOU SENT US THAT THERE MAY BE, UH, AS MANY AS 132 OTHER PASSENGERS WHO MAY BE SYMPTOMATIC AND D H S HASN'T DECIDED WHERE THEY'RE GONNA SEND THOSE PEOPLE.
UH, WAS THAT, WAS THAT ACCURATE? UM, THAT, THAT IS, UM, THAT'S NOT ACCURATE.
AND WHAT THAT, WHAT THAT BULLET SAYS IS THAT, UM, THAT WAS THE QUESTION WE ASKED HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES IF, AND THESE, THE 132 WERE THE INDIVIDUALS THAT PRESUMABLY AREN'T FROM TEXAS, UM, IF THEY'RE SYMPTOMATIC, UM, AND DON'T REQUIRE, IF THEY BECOME SYMPTOMATIC AND, AND DON'T REQUIRE HOSPITALIZATION, WHERE WAS THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT GONNA TAKE THEM? OKAY.
UH, BECAUSE YOU SAID WE, WE MAY EXPECT, UH, ANOTHER PLANE LOAD OF PEOPLE COMING, ALSO, WE, WE WERE TOLD YESTERDAY THAT A PLANE WOULD COME TODAY.
AND, AND ONE THING THAT I'LL ADD, AND AND SOME OF YOU, YOU MAY HAVE SEEN THIS IN THE, IN THE NEWS REPORTS, THE, THE GOVERNOR HAS TAKEN THE POSITION THAT, UM, THE INDIVIDUALS NOT FROM TEXAS,
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UM, HE'S, HE IS NOT GIVEN PERMISSION TO THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT TO TAKE NONT, TEXAS TO T C I D, WHICH LEADS TO THE QUESTION, WELL, WHERE ARE THEY GONNA GO? BECAUSE, UM, THERE'S BEEN SOME CONCERN HERE LOCALLY AS WELL AS, UH, AT THE STATE LEVEL THAT, UH, WITH, UH, FLU A UP, A LOT OF, UH, NEGATIVE PRESSURE ROOMS HERE LOCALLY ARE BEING USED.AND, AND SO THAT'S OUR QUESTION BACK TO THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT.
WHERE, WHERE, IF THEY BECOME SYMPTOMATIC AND TEST POSITIVE, WHAT IS THEIR PLAN? HOW MANY PEOPLE ARE CURRENTLY AT THAT, UH, THAT UNIT RIGHT NOW, UH, WHO ARE INFECTED AND ARE WAITING FOR FURTHER RELEASE? I BELIEVE WE STILL HAVE NINE FROM THE PREVIOUS, UH, EVACUEE GROUPS.
BEEN THERE THAT SECOND, UM, THAT SECOND, THAT SECOND GROUP FLEW IN ON FEBRUARY 14TH.
UM, AND SOME OF THEM DEVELOPED, UH, AND WERE TRANSPORTED WITHIN A COUPLE OF DAYS OF THAT.
SO IT'S GOING ON, UH, TWO AND A HALF WEEKS OR EVEN LONGER.
HOW MANY ARE OUT THERE RIGHT NOW? YOU SAID WE HAVE 500, THE ABILITY TO TEST 500 PEOPLE.
DO WE HAVE THE AUTHORITY TO TEST ANY OF THE PEOPLE WHO ARE COMING IN RIGHT NOW ON FEDERAL PROPERTY? NO, SIR.
UH, IF THEY'RE RELEASED OUTSIDE OF FEDERAL PROPERTY, UH, COULD WE EXERCISE THE AUTHORITY TO TEST THEM? UM, UH, EXCUSE ME, MAYOR, THAT, THAT PROBABLY WOULD BE A QUESTION WOULD BE BETTER ANSWERED AT EXECUTIVE SESSION.
'CAUSE IT HAS TO DO WITH WHAT, WHAT LEGAL RIGHTS THEY MAY HAVE AND WHAT LEGAL RIGHTS THE CITY WOULD HAVE DEPENDING ON WHAT THE, UH, THE, THE STATUS IS OF ANY EMERGENCY ORDERS THAT MAY OR MAY NOT BE OUT THERE CONSUMMATE.
I'LL, I'LL WITHDRAW THE QUESTION.
ANDY, YOU, YOU CAN, YOU CAN CLARIFY WHAT WE'VE REQUESTED OF THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT IN THAT REGARD, THOUGH, IN TERMS OF RELEASE ON THE FEDERAL ONTO LOCAL PROPERTY.
WELL, WE, WE'VE, WE'VE REQUESTED THAT, UM, THAT WE HAVE CLEAR WRITTEN GUIDANCE AND PROTOCOLS FOR THE RELEASE OF THESE INDIVIDUALS IF THEY DON'T BECOME TESTED.
AND PART OF THAT IS, UH, THAT THEY BE FLOWN OUT OF LACKLAND, UH, TO THEIR HOME STATES.
BUT RIGHT NOW WE DON'T HAVE ANY B ANY RESIDENT OF SAN ANTONIO WHO'S, UH, BEEN FOUND TO HAVE THE VIRUS.
ISN'T THAT CORRECT? THAT'S CORRECT, YES, SIR.
THANK YOU, ERIC, FOR PULLING THIS TOGETHER AND GIVING US, UH, THIS INFORMATION UP TO DATE AND, UM, UM, IN THE PROACTIVE MOVES THAT Y'ALL ARE MAKING HERE, UH, WITH THE CITY STAFF TO HELP PROTECT OUR PUBLIC HERE IN SAN ANTONIO.
I, I DO HAVE A COUPLE OF QUESTIONS THOUGH ON, ON THIS FOR OUR VIEWING AUDIENCE.
UM, THEY'VE HEARD A LOT ABOUT ASYMPTOMATIC, SYMPTOMATIC, YOU KNOW, WHAT THAT MEANS.
AND, AND CAN YOU JUST GO OVER WHAT THE DEFINITIONS OF THOSE ARE? COUNCILMAN COURAGE TALKED ABOUT ASYMPTOMATIC, BUT CAN YOU JUST COMPARE AND CONTRAST THE TWO, WHAT THAT MEANS? WELL, I EXCELLED AT GEOLOGY IN COLLEGE, SO LET ME, I'LL TAKE A CRACK AT IT.
I'VE BEEN AT THE E O C ALL MORNING, SO SYMPTOMATIC, COUNCILMAN.
SO IF YOU CALL 9 1 1 AND, UM, YOU SAY, I'M SHORT OF BREATH, THEN THE SYMPTOMS, AND WE'RE GONNA ASK YOU, OKAY, DO YOU HAVE A RUNNY NOSE, A DRY COUGH, A FEVER, UM, THINGS LIKE THAT, THAT WOULD BE A SYMPTOM.
SO THOSE ARE SYMPTOMS. ASYMPTOMATIC MEANS YOU'RE WITHOUT ANY SYMPTOMS. OKAY.
SO YOU HAVE SOME SYMPTOMS. DOESN'T MEAN THAT YOU HAVE IT, BUT YOU HAVE ABSOLUTELY.
SO, SO SAY, IF YOU WERE TO CALL US, AND WE'RE GONNA SCREEN YOU IF, IF YOU ANSWER YES TO THOSE QUESTIONS.
THE NEXT THING WE'RE GONNA ASK YOU, HAVE YOU TRAVELED ABROAD? HAVE YOU TRAVELED TO CERTAIN COUNTRIES? HAS A LOVED ONE OR A FRIEND TRAVELED TO THOSE COUNTRIES? HAVE YOU BEEN IN CONTACT WITH THEM IN THE LAST FEW DAYS? SO THOSE WOULD BE THE OTHER QUESTIONS THAT WE WOULD ASK.
BUT THE SYMPTOMS ARE THE ONES THAT WE JUST TALKED ABOUT, THE FEVER, THE COUGH, UH, POTENTIALLY SHORTNESS OF BREATH, THINGS LIKE THAT.
YOU CAN HAVE THE, YOU CAN HAVE THE, THE VIRUS, BUT NOT HAVE THE SYMPTOMS. AND, AND IN THAT CASE, YOU'RE ASYMPTOMATIC.
SO MANY OF THE INDIVIDUALS THAT WE HAD AT T C I D, UH, FROM THE EARLIER EVACUEE GROUPS, UM, UM, DIDN'T HAVE THE SYMPTOMS OF, OF FLU-LIKE
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CONDITIONS OR CORONAVIRUS, BUT THEY TESTED POSITIVE, THEY WERE FINE.THEY DIDN'T HAVE A FEVER, THEY DIDN'T HAVE A COUGH, THEY WEREN'T ACHY.
UM, BUT THEY, BUT THEY DID HAVE THE VIRUS.
AND THOSE, THOSE GOT PUT INTO THE, UH, INTO THE FACILITY? YES.
WHEN THEY, IN FROM THE PREVIOUS GROUPS, WHEN THEY TESTED POSITIVE, THEY WERE TRANSPORTED TO T TO, UH, TEXAS CENTER FOR INFECTIOUS DISEASE HOSPITAL.
AND RIGHT NOW YOU SAID YOU THOUGHT THERE WERE NINE OR 10? I'LL DOUBLE CHECK.
I BELIEVE THERE'S NINE, BUT I'LL DOUBLE CHECK AND GET THAT TO THE COUNCIL THIS, THIS MORNING.
AND, AND HOW MANY ROOMS, TOTAL ROOMS ARE AVAILABLE? UH, I DON'T KNOW OFF THE TOP OF MY HEAD.
UH, I'M JUST TRYING TO LOOK AT THAT.
IF WE HAVE ALL THESE PEOPLE COMING IN, THEY MAY BE ASYMPTOMATIC, BUT IF THEY TEST POSITIVE, THEN THEY WILL GO DIRECTLY TO THE FACILITY.
AND, UM, THE STATE HAS SAID THAT THAT FACILITY WILL BE AVAILABLE FOR INDIVIDUALS WHO RESIDE IN TEXAS FOR HOWEVER MANY ROOMS THEY HAVE AVAILABLE THOUGH, RIGHT? YES, SIR.
UH, YEAH, I'D LIKE TO KNOW THAT WHAT, WHAT, WHAT CAPACITY DO WE HAVE HERE IN SAN ANTONIO TO TAKE THOSE INDIVIDUALS? UM, AND GOING BACK A LITTLE BIT, I, I'M A LITTLE BIT CONFUSED.
DO WE KNOW FROM THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT, THEY SAID THAT THE SECOND SHIP HAS THE VIRUS DETECTED ON IT, AND THEY HAD, HOW MANY CASES DID THEY HAVE, UH, POSITIVE ON, ON THE SHIP? THEY, THEY, IF, IF I REMEMBER CORRECTLY, THEY'VE TESTED 46 AND THEY HAD 21 POSITIVES.
AND WHEN, WHEN DID THEY DO THIS TESTING? DO WE KNOW, HOW DID THEY, DID THEY JUST GO ON THE SHIP BEFORE IT DOCKED? OR HOW DID THEY, HOW DID THEY FIND OUT THIS INFORMATION? THE COAST GUARD DELIVERED THOSE TESTS TO THEM WHILE THEY WERE OFF THE COAST OF, I GOT YOU.
PICKED UP THE, UH, UM, THE TEST AND THOSE, AND THEN SENT TO THE APPROPRIATE LAB.
AND THERE ARE NINE AT T C I D.
YEAH, THAT IT'S, ARE THEY JUST BOARDING SHIPS AS THEY'RE COMING IN TO CHECK THE STAFF OR THE, OR THE, UH, OCCUPANTS TO SEE IF THEY, THEY'VE BEEN INFECTED OR WHATEVER.
DO YOU HAVE ANY IDEA HOW THEY'RE DOING THAT THEY'RE SCREENING? UH, WHAT THEY'VE, WHAT THEY'VE TOLD US, UH, H H S IS THAT THEY'RE SCREENING INDIVIDUALS AS THEY, UH, DEPART THE SHIP.
AND I GUESS, ANDY, THE THING THAT, UH, AND MAYBE THIS IS AN EXECUTIVE, UM, MEETING TOPIC, BUT YOU KNOW, IF I, I THINK I UNDERSTAND THEIR RIGHTS, BUT IF THEY REFUSE TO BE TESTED, YOU KNOW, WHAT, WHAT LEGAL AUTHORITY DO WE SAY? OKAY, THEN YOU'RE STAYING ON THE SHIP VERSUS BEING TRANSPORTED OFF.
UM, AND, AND WE CAN GET INTO MORE DETAIL IN EXEC, BUT, UH, A QUICK ANSWER TO THE QUESTION IS, UM, IT DEPENDS ON WHAT THE STATE OF EMERGENCY AND WHAT THE PARTICULAR POWERS ARE UNDER THAT STATE OF EMERGENCY.
FOR EXAMPLE, THEY'RE, THEY'RE DEBARKING IN CALIFORNIA, GOVERNOR, I'M SORRY.
SO THE, UM, UH, COUNCILMAN, SO THE GOVERNOR OF CALIFORNIA CAN DECLARE A CERTAIN EMERGENCY, OBVIOUSLY THE, THE FEDERAL AUTHORITIES HAVE THEIR TESTING PROTOCOL.
SO I MEAN, I, I HATE TO GIVE YOU THE, IT DEPENDS ANSWER, BUT THAT'S THE ANSWER IS IT DEPENDS.
IT, IT JUST SEEMS STRANGE TO ME THAT WE'D BE BRINGING FOLKS HERE THAT HAVE, THAT HAVE REFUSED TO BE TESTED, AND WHETHER THEY'RE SYMPTOMATIC OR ASYMPTOMATIC BASED ON WHAT HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES SAID, THOSE INDIVIDUALS DIDN'T REFUSE.
THEY'RE JUST NOT BEING TESTED.
SO, UM, AT, AT, AT LEAST WHAT, WHAT THE, THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT SAID LAST NIGHT, THEY'RE NOT ASKING AND THEY'RE REFUSING, THEY'RE JUST NOT TESTING.
THAT'S WHAT THEY TOLD US LAST NIGHT.
I DON'T, BUT I DON'T KNOW WHAT THE CONDITIONS ARE ON THE GROUND IN CALIFORNIA.
UM, THE, THE TOTAL, TOTAL NUMBER OF BED SPACES, DO, DO WE HAVE ANY INFORMATION ON THAT AT LACKLAND? HOW MANY THEY CAN ACCEPT OVER THERE? I MEAN, OR WILL THERE BE A SPILLOVER INTO THE LOCAL ECONOMY SOMEWHERE? I DON'T KNOW, TOTAL CAPACITY AT LACKLAND.
UM, THOSE NUMBERS, I'VE HEARD, UH, UH, DIFFERENT NUMBERS OVER THE LAST THREE OR FOUR DAYS, BUT I DON'T KNOW FOR SURE.
SO WE, AGAIN, WE DON'T KNOW WHAT THE IMPACT IS ONCE THEY WALK, WALK OFF THAT AIRPLANE, IF THEY'RE GONNA HAVE ENOUGH SPACE FOR 'EM AT LACKLAND TO BEGIN WITH.
WELL, MY ASSUMPTION COUNCILMAN, AND I KNOW THIS MAY BE GOING ON A LIMB, MY ASSUMPTION IS, IS THAT, UH, IF IF THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT'S BRINGING THEM HERE, THEY'VE GOT A PLACE TO PUT 'EM.
'CAUSE THEY'RE STAYING ON FEDERAL PROPERTY.
[00:30:01]
ALRIGHT.UM, LET ME SWITCH GEARS A LITTLE BIT.
UH, THERE'S KIND OF AN ELEPHANT IN THE ROOM HERE, AND I WANT TO JUST ASK A COUPLE OF QUESTIONS.
YOU KNOW, THERE'S, THERE'S BEEN A LOT OF CANCELLATIONS OF LARGE EVENTS HERE IN TEXAS AND, AND ACROSS THE WORLD, ITALY, YOU KNOW, AND IN THE US AND WE HAVE A LARGE EVENT COMING UP HERE IN SAN ANTONIO FIESTA.
UM, HAVE, HAVE WE GOTTEN A TIMELINE OR ANYTHING SAYING WHEN A, WHEN THERE WOULD BE A DROP DEAD DATE ON IF WE'RE GONNA CONTINUE ON WITH THIS? I'M GETTING A LOT OF THOSE QUESTIONS SAYING, HEY, ARE Y'ALL GONNA CONTINUE ON WITH YESTER OR NOT? THERE'S FOLKS TRAVELING LONG WAYS.
UH, GOT A FRIEND COMING IN FROM FLORIDA, THEY CALLED ME SAYING, HEY, ARE Y'ALL GONNA HAVE IT? UH, I COULDN'T TELL 'EM YES OR NO, BUT WHEN'S OUR DROP DEAD DATE TO MAKE THAT DECISION? SO WE HAVE BEEN SINCE THE BEGINNING OF THIS, AT THE STAFF LEVEL, COORDINATING WITH THE FIESTA COMMISSION AND MAKING SURE THAT THEY'VE GOT THE LATEST INFORMATION.
I DON'T KNOW IF THERE'S A DROP DEAD DATE.
AND, AND MY RECOMMENDATION TO THE COUNCIL WOULD BE THAT WE CONTINUE TO MONITOR THE SITUATION.
UM, FIESTA IS FIVE WEEKS AWAY, UM, AND, AND, AND PROBABLY REALLY TOO SOON TO MAKE ANY, UM, UH, BIG DECISIONS LIKE THAT, BUT THAT WE CONTINUE TO MONITOR IT.
I, I THINK IT GOES BACK TO, TO, FRANKLY, WHAT I SUGGESTED IS THAT WE ALL REMAIN NIMBLE ENOUGH TO HAVE TO HAVE A MEETING IN CASE SOMETHING HAPPENS.
THESE WILL BE ONGOING CONVERSATIONS.
I HAVE, UH, BEEN IN DIRECT COMMUNICATION CONSTANTLY WITH CASSANDRA OVER VISIT SAN ANTONIO SO THAT SHE KNOWS WHAT THE LATEST IS, UM, BEYOND OUR, OUR, OUR LOCAL ISSUES, UM, NATIONALLY, UM, THIS IS SOMETHING THAT IS IMPACTING OR COULD, COULD POTENTIALLY IMPACT A LOT OF VISITOR, UH, AND, AND TOURISM INDUSTRIES.
AND SO WE'RE MAKING SURE WE'RE CLOSELY COORDINATING HERE.
I DON'T THINK THERE'S A DROP DEAD, DEAD DATE.
I, BUT I DO THINK WE NEED TO CONTINUE TO HAVE ALL THOSE ISSUES ON THE TABLE, CONTINUE TO WATCH THEM, CONTINUE TO MONITOR THE SITUATION AND, AND, UM, AND BE READY TO, TO MAKE ANY DECISION THAT'S NECESSARY.
SO THE FIESTA COMMISSION HASN'T COME OUT WITH ANYTHING, OR WHAT, WHAT ARE THEY DOING TO TAKE A LOOK AT THIS AND COME UP? 'CAUSE I WOULD IMAGINE THEY WOULD HAVE AN INPUT ON THAT.
AND, AND IN, AND IN THIS CASE, THE FIESTA I, THE FIESTA COMMISSION IS A MAJOR STAKEHOLDER.
AND, AND I SUSPECT THAT THAT WOULD BE, IF THE COUNCIL EVER GETS TO THAT PART WHERE YOU WANT TO HAVE THAT CONVERSATION, THAT CONVERSATION NEEDS TO PROBABLY INCLUDE, UH, THE CONSERVATION SOCIETY, THE FIESTA COMMISSION, YOU KNOW, UH, ALL OF THESE MAJOR STAKEHOLDERS THAT ARE PART OF THAT EVENT.
IT'S, IT, CERTAINLY, MY RECOMMENDATION IS THAT SHOULDN'T BE DONE IN A, IN ANY SORT OF, UH, WITHOUT THAT INPUT.
BUT WE ARE PROVIDING INFORMATION TO THEM AT THE STAFF LEVEL AND COORDINATING AND, AND I THINK WE JUST STAY ON OUR TOES.
UM, IF THEY'VE, UM, I GUESS I WOULD LIKE TO KNOW IF THEY HAVE INTERNALLY COME UP WITH, HEY, WE HAVE TO MAKE A DECISION BY A CERTAIN, CERTAIN DATE, UH, FOR THE GO NO GO DECISION IF THAT'S GONNA HAPPEN OR NOT.
SO, UM, I, I, I'D LIKE TO KNOW THAT.
AND ARE WE GONNA DO ANYTHING WORKING UP TO THAT DATE, LIKE YOU SAID, BE NIMBLE AND, AND HELP MAKE THAT DECISION, UH, IN CONCERT WITH THEM.
SO, UM, YEAH, I'D, I'D REALLY LIKE TO FIND THAT OUT.
AND THEN, UM, BACK TO THE OVERALL, UM, ISSUE, UH, WHAT WOULD YOU SAY OUR NUMBER ONE ISSUE IS? WITH EVERYTHING THAT'S GOING ON RIGHT NOW, AN ADDITIONAL EVACUEES COMING HERE TO SAN ANTONIO, WHAT'S, WHAT'S OUR SINGLE MOST NUMBER ONE ISSUE WITH WHAT'S GOING ON RIGHT NOW AND RESPONDING TO IT? MAKING SURE THAT WE'VE GOT PROPER AND CORRECT INFORMATION TO THE COMMUNITY, THAT WE KEEP THE COMMUNITY UPDATED, THAT WE, UH, MAKE SURE THAT WE HAVE, UM, RESOURCES LOCALLY, UH, AND THAT WE ENSURE THAT WE ARE PROPERLY PREPARED, UM, UM, FOR WHATEVER HAPPENS GOING FORWARD.
UM, THERE ARE A LOT OF, A LOT OF BALLS UP IN THE AIR, BUT I THINK THAT'S PARAMOUNT THAT WE CONTINUE TO, UM, MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE PREPARED.
WE COMMUNICATE THAT WE NOT, UM, ALARM INDIVIDUALS, BUT THEY DO NEED TO HAVE THE INFORMATION AND THEY NEED TO, THEY NEED TO BE PREPARED.
LEMME READ 'EM OFF THE INCIDENT OBJECTIVES AS FAR AS WHAT WE'RE DOING RIGHT NOW.
UM, SO COUNCILMAN, JUST TO BE CLEAR, UM, WE HAVE A TEAM OF ABOUT 50 OR 60 PEOPLE WORKING AT OUR EMERGENCY OPERATIONS CENTER.
AND SO EVERY SINGLE DAY WE HAVE OBJECTIVES.
AND SO OBJECTIVE IS TO PROTECT THE LOCAL COMMUNITY THROUGH APPROPRIATE SURVEILLANCE AND CONTROL OF
[00:35:01]
C OVID 19.PHASE TWO, WE'RE CONSIDERING C O PHASE 19.
UM, THE NUMBER TWO IS ENSURE COORDINATION BETWEEN THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO, BEXAR COUNTY ARM O, WHICH IS A HOSPITAL'S LIAISON AGENCIES.
AND THE E O C NUMBER THREE IS TO PROVIDE THE LOCAL COMMUNITY WITH ACCURATE AND TIMELY INFORMATION FOR PROPER PREVENTION, ESTIMATED TRANSMISSION RISK, AND SEVERITY LEVELS.
SO THOSE ARE OUR PRIORITIES RIGHT NOW.
UM, YOU KNOW, ERIC, I, AND TO COUNCILWOMAN SANDOVAL'S QUESTIONS ABOUT THE COMMUNICATION THING, YOU KNOW, THE COMMUNITY IS ALARMED ALREADY AND WE NEED TO STEP UP THAT COMMUNICATION PROCESS, WHATEVER IT TAKES TO GET OUT THE INFORMATION THAT, UM, WILL HELP ALLY THOSE FAIR FEARS BECAUSE THEY'RE ALREADY JITTERY AND NERVOUS OUT THERE ABOUT WHAT'S GOING ON.
AND HERE WE'RE BRINGING IN ADDITIONAL, UH, FOLKS HERE TO SAN ANTONIO.
SO YOU'RE RIGHT THAT COMMUNICATION IS KEY RIGHT NOW FOR OUR COMMUNITY AND MAKING SURE THAT THEY'RE, UH, UP TO DATE, UP TO SPEED, AND, YOU KNOW, THEY KNOW WHAT'S GOING ON WITH THAT.
SO WHATEVER MEANS, YOU KNOW, I I SAY GET OUT THERE AND DO IT.
I, I WOULD, UH, I WOULD REQUEST ALMOST A DAILY BASIS TO BE, UH, THAT I WOULD BE PUTTING IT IN MY NEWSLETTER AND MY SOCIAL MEDIA ON WHAT'S GOING ON.
AND I HAVE BEEN, WHENEVER YOU'RE RELEASING INFORMATION, I DO THAT, BUT THAT, THAT IS KEY FOR THIS COMMUNITY.
PEOPLE ARE ALREADY AT THAT POINT.
SO, UH, WOULD APPRECIATE A STEP UP OF WHATEVER TO COUNTERACT SOME OF THE NEGATIVITY THAT'S GOING ON RIGHT NOW WITH THIS WHOLE, THIS WHOLE, UH, ISSUE.
WITH THAT, SIR, I THINK THAT'S, UH, THAT'S ALL MY QUESTION.
CAN I JUST, UH, LEMME JUMP IN.
I, I GOT SOME INFORMATION THAT THE QUESTION ABOUT T C I D, UM, THERE ARE 27 ROOMS, UM, SIX ARE OCCUPIED WITH NINE, UM, UH, PATIENTS.
SO SOME OF THEM MAY BE MAYBE A, UH, A HUSBAND AND A WIFE WHO ARE IN ONE ROOM.
SO, UM, SIX OF THE 27 ARE OCCUPIED RIGHT NOW.
UH, YOU KNOW, AND TO ME THAT MAKES IT EVEN MORE IMPORTANT THAT WE KNOW WITH, AS, AS THEY'RE COMING IN HERE TO TOWN IF THEY NEED TO BE SHIPPED OVER THERE IMMEDIATELY OR NOT.
COUNCIL MEMBER ANDREWS SULLIVAN.
AND THANK YOU TO THE CITY STAFF AND TO, UM, OUR HEALTH OFFICIALS THAT ARE TRULY WORKING TO GET THE INFORMATION AND GIVE IT TO US.
UM, THANK YOU TO THE MAYOR'S OFFICE AND THE MAYOR STAFF FOR CONTINUOUSLY KEEPING US UPDATED AND SENDING US, UM, INFORMATION AS YOU GET IT.
I KNOW YOU WERE SAYING THAT WE DON'T HAVE ACCESS TO THE FEDERAL FACILITIES.
ARE WE SEEKING TO GET ACCESS TO THE FEDERAL GROUNDS SO THAT WE CAN DO TESTING? OR WHAT IS THE PROTOCOL FOR THAT RIGHT NOW? NO, MA'AM, WE'RE NOT.
SO WE'RE JUST GONNA TRUST THAT THEY WILL DO THE PROPER PROTOCOL OF DOING THE TESTING.
WELL, THEY, THEY'RE IN CHARGE OF THAT OPERATION ON LACKLAND, THAT'S, THAT'S FEDERAL PROPERTY.
UM, WHAT, WHAT WHAT WE CAN DO IS CONTINUE TO REQUEST FOR SOME PROTOCOLS, UM, AND PARTICULARLY ON THE RELEASE, UM, AND, AND CONTINUE TO PUSH THOSE ISSUES, UM, IN, IN LINE WITH THE GOVERNOR'S OFFICE.
DO WE KNOW IF SAM, SS C OR, UH, THE MEDICAL TRAINING FACILITIES ARE WORKING HAND IN HAND WITH LACKLAND? IF THERE'S, UM, OR ARE WE JUST GONNA BE TAKING THE PATIENT TO, UH, THE FACILITIES THAT, THAT WE HAVE? SO, UM, IT'S, UH, THE, THE DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE, UM, IS NOT ALLOWING ANYBODY WHO, UH, IS, UH, POSITIVE ON BASE.
UM, AND, AND, UH, SO IF AN INDIVIDUAL, UM, WHO, UH, LEMME BACK UP.
THE GOVERNOR HAS SAID THAT THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT CAN'T USE T C I D UNLESS YOU'RE A TEXAS RESIDENT.
SO IF YOU DEVELOP SYMPTOMS PRESUMABLY, AND YOU ARE FROM TEXAS THERE, AND YOU TEST POSITIVE, YOU WILL BE TRANSPORTED TO T C I D IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE GOVERNOR'S DIRECTION.
UM, WHAT'S UNKNOWN, AND WE ARE WAITING FOR THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT TO RESPOND TO IS THE ISSUE THAT COUNCILMAN COURAGE BROUGHT UP.
[00:40:01]
ARE NOT FROM TEXAS AND ARE BROUGHT HERE AND DEVELOP, UM, UM, UH, ARE POSITIVE OR END UP GETTING TESTED AND ARE POSITIVE WHERE THEY WILL GO BECAUSE THE GOVERNOR HAS SAID, UH, THEY CANNOT GO TO A TEX, A STATE FACILITY.AND I, AND I THINK THE POSITION OF THE GOVERNOR HAS BEEN, UM, THERE ARE, THERE ARE A COUPLE OF FACILITIES THROUGHOUT TEXAS, UM, THAT ARE LIKE T C I D, AND THEN OF COURSE YOU'VE GOT THE HOSPITAL SYSTEM.
UM, THOSE RESOURCES AND CAPACITY, UH, SHOULD BE RESERVED FOR, UH, POTENTIALLY INDIVIDUALS WHO RESIDE HERE AND, AND END UP NEEDING TO GO TO THE HOSPITAL FOR WHATEVER REASON, CORONAVIRUS OR, OR NOT.
AND WHAT ARE WE DOING ABOUT OUR VETERAN POPULATION AS FAR AS WHEN IT COMES TO, UM, I KNOW THE VA HOSPITALS A LOT OF TIMES HAVE A WHOLE SEPARATE AREA.
ARE WE, ARE THERE STILL NOT ANY COORDINATION BETWEEN FEDERAL, THE VA, THE, AND THE STATE? I'M, I'M UNSURE THAT I CAN DOUBLE CHECK.
UH, MY, MY ASSUMPTION IT MAY NOT BE A CORRECT ONE IS THAT THROUGH STRAC, UH, AND THE COORDINATION OF HOSPITALS, THAT THE VA HOSPITAL IS PART OF THAT COORDINATION, BUT I CAN DOUBLE CHECK.
UM, AS FAR AS WHEN IT COMES TO THOSE THAT ARE SELF QUARANTINED, UM, THAT ARE NOT COMING BY WAY OF THE CRUISE SHIPS OR COMING BY WAY OF, OF FEDERAL TRANSPORT, DO WE HAVE A NUMBER OF HOW MANY RIGHT NOW IN THE CITY ARE ACTUALLY UNDER SELF QUARANTINE? NO, BUT I CAN GET THAT.
AND THEN, AT THIS TIME, DO WE KNOW OF ANY FILTRATION SYSTEMS OR ANY, UM, HEAT SYSTEMS OR ANYTHING THAT CAN BE USED WITHIN PUBLIC SETTINGS THAT CAN START TO KIND OF HELP ALLEVIATE THE CONTAMINATION OF, OF THE VIRUS AT, AT, AT PUBLIC FACILITIES OR STORES SUCH AS ARENAS OR STORES OR WITHIN OFFICE BUILDINGS? I THINK THERE'S COMMERCIAL EQUIPMENT THAT'S AVAILABLE.
I MEAN, WE, WE USE SOME OF THAT NOW FOR THE BACK OF OUR E M SS UNITS, JUST UNDER NORMAL CIRCUMSTANCES, THERE ARE ALSO COMMERCIALLY AVAILABLE EQUIPMENT.
UM, BUT, SO YES, I BELIEVE THAT EQUIPMENT EXISTS.
AND, UM, I KNOW WE SAID WE HAVE OVER 500 TESTS THAT WE HAVE AVAILABLE.
DO WE KNOW, UH, ARE WE THE ONLY ONES TESTING IN THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO RIGHT NOW? OR ARE THERE OTHER, UM, FACILITIES THAT ARE HERE IN SAN ANTONIO THAT MIGHT HAVE ADDITIONAL TESTS? I DON'T BELIEVE ANY OTHER, ANY OTHER PRIVATE LABS HAVE RECEIVED ANY TESTS AT THIS POINT.
COUNCIL MEMBER ANDREWS SULLIVAN, COUNCIL MEMBER TRAVINO.
AND, UH, THANK YOU, UH, ERIC AND ALL THE, UH, FOLKS, UH, WORKING VERY, VERY HARD.
I KNOW, UH, IT'S, UH, YOU'RE WORKING TIRELESSLY, UH, 24 7 RIGHT NOW, AND JUST WANT TO THANK EVERYBODY, UH, THAT IS HELPING TO COORDINATE THIS HUGE EFFORT.
UH, I'LL START FIRST BY PIGGYBACKING OFF OF WHAT COUNCILWOMAN SANDOVAL SAID IN TERMS OF COMMUNICATIONS.
UH, I'D HOPE TO SEE, UH, SOME KIND OF COMMUNICATION STRATEGY THAT WE CAN, UH, ALL, UH, PARTICIPATE AND LOOK AT, UH, AS WE KNOW OUR DIFFERENT DISTRICTS AND DIFFERENT NEEDS, UH, ACCORDING DOWNTOWN, UH, IS, IS HAS GOT DIFFERENT NEEDS FROM LET'S SAY THE WEST SIDE OR, OR THE EAST SIDE.
AND SO I THINK IT'D BE GREAT FOR ALL OF US TO TAKE A LOOK AT THAT AND, AND MAKE SURE THAT THE COMMUNITY IS, UH, FEELS VERY MUCH, UH, ENGAGED AND NOT JUST, UH, GIVEN INFORMATION.
SO, UM, I'D LIKE TO MAKE THAT REQUEST.
SO THANK YOU, COUNCILMAN SANDOVAL.
UM, ALSO, I THINK WE HEARD ABOUT VETERANS, BUT I, I WOULD, I WOULD ASK THAT, UH, WE TAKE A LOOK AT, UM, UH, OUR VULNERABLE POPULATIONS RIGHT NOW AND, AND WHAT, WHAT, WHAT THAT MEANS IN TERMS OF, UH, UNDERSTANDING WHAT STRAIN IT MIGHT PUT ON OUR RESOURCES.
UH, YOU KNOW, I'VE NOT HEARD THIS, UH, JUST YET, BUT I AM HEARING FROM THE MEDICAL COMMUNITY THAT, THAT THERE MIGHT BE, UH, A STRAIN ON, ON MEDICAL SERVICES THAT CAN BE PROVIDED.
SO THERE IS SORT OF A LIMIT TO THAT.
AND, YOU KNOW, HOW CAN WE MAKE SURE THAT THOSE THAT ARE ALREADY VULNERABLE AND ALREADY IN NEED OF, OF VERY, VERY IMPORTANT MEDICAL SERVICES CAN CONTINUE TO RECEIVE THOSE.
I THINK, UH, THERE'S A LOT OF FOLKS IN OUR COMMUNITY THAT ARE EXPERIENCING, UH, THOSE ISSUES.
AND THEN ALONG THE SAME LINES, I, YOU KNOW, UH, I WOULD LIKE TO ASK THAT, THAT SAWS AND C P S, UH, CONSIDER THAT DURING THIS TIME THAT WE KEEP, UH, YOU KNOW, WATER FLOWING POWER ON, UH, THIS IS A TIME THAT, THAT, THAT WE NEED, UH, WATER TO BE AVAILABLE TO, TO EVERYBODY, AS WE SAY.
WE WANT PEOPLE TO BE WASHING THEIR HANDS AND, AND PRACTICE HYGIENE.
UM, YOU KNOW, I'D LIKE TO ASK BOTH
[00:45:01]
SAWS AND C P S TO, UH, PUT A MORATORIUM ON ANY DISCONNECTS, UH, AND, UH, YOU KNOW, WORK WITH US ON, ON MAKING SURE THAT WE'RE COMMUNICATING THIS AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE.BECAUSE, UH, AGAIN, THIS IS KINDA ANOTHER EXAMPLE OF A LOT OF OUR VULNERABLE POPULATIONS, UH, YOU KNOW, BEING, BEING RESTRICTED FROM VERY, VERY BASIC SERVICES, UH, YOU KNOW, I, I HOPE WE CAN, I HOPE WE CAN HAVE THAT CONVERSATION EVEN AFTER, UH, ALL THIS HAS HAS OCCURRED AND TALK ABOUT HOW, HOW THESE BASIC SERVICES ARE SO CRITICAL TO THE HEALTH AND WELFARE OF A COMMUNITY.
UH, THEY SEEM SIMPLE, BUT, BUT THEY REALLY HAVE A HUGE IMPACT.
YOU KNOW, UH, THIS IS A CONVERSATION I'VE HAD, UH, OVER THE LAST FEW MONTHS REGARDING OUR, OUR EVICTION RATES IN SAN ANTONIO.
AND SO THIS IS ANOTHER EXAMPLE OF HOW, YOU KNOW, WE MAY NOT FULLY UNDERSTAND OR APPRECIATE, YOU KNOW, THESE SIMPLE THINGS AND HOW THEY IMPACT FAMILIES, HOW THEY IMPACT, UH, ELDERLY, THAT, THAT NEED THESE BASIC SERVICES.
SO WE AS A CITY, THESE ARE THE THINGS WE CAN CONTROL.
SO I ASK THAT WE, WE, WE DO JUST THOSE THINGS.
THANK YOU, COUNCIL MEMBER TREVINO.
AND, AND I THINK THAT IS A EXCELLENT POINT, AND I'LL MAKE SURE TO BRING THAT UP WITH C P S AND SAWS THAT WE SHOULD HAVE RELIEF ON ANY DISCONNECTS, ESPECIALLY AS WE GET THROUGH THIS PERIOD.
SO THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR THAT.
COUNCIL MEMBER ROCHA GARCIA, THANK YOU MAYOR, AND THANK YOU ERIC.
UM, I WANNA TAKE THIS OPPORTUNITY ALSO TO THANK THE LOCAL JOURNALISTS.
I THINK THAT YOU ALL ARE DOING A GREAT JOB AT RESPONSIBLE JOURNALISM.
I THINK SOME OF THE NATIONAL, UH, JOURNALISTS, NATIONAL MEDIA, UM, MIGHT BE CREATING SOME PANIC BY, UH, STARTING STARTLING HEADLINES.
AND I THINK OUR LOCAL JOURNALISTS ARE HELPING US ARE IN THIS BATTLE WITH US TOGETHER.
UM, ALSO THE RESTAURANTS, AND SO, UM, TRYING TO KEEP A SENSE OF NORMALCY.
UH, SO I'VE BEEN TRYING TO ENGAGE IN SPRING BREAK ACTIVITIES AS NORMALLY AS POSSIBLE.
RESTAURANTS HAVE SANITIZERS, UM, HAVE SIGNS OUT, AND I WANTED TO TAKE THE OPPORTUNITY TO ALSO SAY, THANK YOU FOR THAT.
SO AS SOON AS YOU WALK IN, AND MOST OF THE RESTAURANTS THAT I'VE BEEN TO, I'VE SEEN THESE HAND SANITIZERS DOCTOR'S OFFICES.
I WAS AT, UH, RADIOLOGY CENTER YESTERDAY, AND, UM, THEY'RE ASKING ABOUT TRAVEL RELATED, UH, OR WHO YOU'VE BEEN IN CONTACT, ET CETERA.
SO THE COMMUNITY, I THINK, IS REALLY ALSO HELPING US MAKE SURE THAT WE, UM, TELL OUR RESIDENTS TO WASH THEIR HANDS.
I'VE SEEN POSTERS EVERYWHERE AT THE POST OFFICE, ET CETERA.
EMRICH ARE WORKING VERY CLOSELY WITH THE HOSPITALS AND STRAC AND CHIEF HOOD.
UM, BUT I WANNA ALSO, UH, REMIND US THAT NOT EVERYBODY GOES OUT TO SOME OF THESE PLACES AND IN PARTICULARLY ELDERLY.
AND SO I DON'T THINK THAT I'VE SEEN ENOUGH, UH, OUTREACH TO THE ELDERLY COMMUNITY OR MAYBE COMMUNITIES THAT DON'T HAVE ACCESS TO INTERNET OR, UM, TO, YOU KNOW, LEARN ABOUT THIS INFORMATION.
SO I'M WONDERING HOW WE GET TO OUR ELDERLY FOLKS, UM, HOW WE RECOMMEND THAT OUR NEIGHBORS ARE GOOD NEIGHBORS TO OUR ELDERLY RESIDENTS, AND, YOU KNOW, PICK UP EXTRA THINGS FOR THEM MAYBE AT THE STORE IF THEY GO THAT WAY, THEY DON'T HAVE TO COME OUT OF HOME.
AND SO I THINK WE NEED TO BE VERY, UH, VERY CAREFUL AND CAUTIOUS AND REALLY PROTECT, UM, OUR, OUR FOLKS THAT, LIKE COUNCILMAN TREVINO SAID, ARE IN VULNERABLE POPULATIONS.
AND I KNOW IN, IN DISTRICT FOUR AND LACKLAND IS IN MY DISTRICT, I'VE BEEN TRYING TO KEEP AS INVOLVED AS POSSIBLE.
SO THANK YOU FOR ANSWERING MY CRAZY CALLS AT ALL HOURS OF THE NIGHT.
UM, I, I THINK I CALL EVERYBODY, I GO DOWN THE PHONE TREE, I START WITH ERIC.
IF HE DOESN'T ANSWER, I CALL DR.
SO I, UM, I GET AN ANSWER AND I APPRECIATE THAT.
SO THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THAT.
UM, BUT I STILL DO THINK THAT WE HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO SEND OUT A UNIFIED MESSAGE TO OUR RESIDENTS, UH, THAT DON'T HAVE ACCESS AGAIN, TO NONSTOP MEDIA.
UM, UH, I'M SORRY, NONSTOP ACCESS TO INTERNET, ET CETERA.
HAVE WE, UH, RECEIVED THE REQUESTED LOCAL GUIDANCE PROCEDURES THAT, THAT WE WERE, OR, OR THE, THE PROCEDURES THAT WE HAD ASKED IN WRITING? HAVE WE RECEIVED THOSE YET? NO, MA'AM.
UM, AND THEN HAVE WE, I KNOW I HAD ASKED FOR THIS A COUPLE OF WEEKS AGO, AND I'LL BE HONEST, I DON'T REMEMBER WHO I ASKED THIS, UH, BUT IT WAS A CRISIS COMMUNICATION PLAN, AND SO I HAVEN'T SEEN THAT.
I KNOW IT'S SOMEWHERE, BUT I THINK THAT, UM, MIGHT BE HELPFUL TO SHARE, EVEN IF IT HAS TO BE, UM, AT AN EXEC SESSION OR, OR SOMETHING.
BUT I JUST, I THINK THAT COUNCIL SHOULD BE FULLY AWARE THAT THERE IS A PLAN.
I KNOW ERIC, UH, ANSWERED SOME OF MY QUESTIONS.
SO I WAS SPECIFICALLY ASKING ABOUT, UM, SERVICES, CITY SERVICES AND, UH, WORK PLAN IF WE ARE, ARE NOT ABLE TO COME IN FOR SOME REASON.
AND WHO'S THE BACKUP TO THE BACKUP? I KNOW WE'VE SEEN BITS
[00:50:01]
AND PIECES, BUT I'M SURE THAT THERE'S A COMPREHENSIVE PLAN.WHAT YOU'RE, WHAT YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT IS, IS, UH, WHAT'S COMMONLY KNOWN AS THE CONTINUITY OF OPERATIONS AND ANY LARGE ORGANIZATION WILL HAVE IT.
AND, UM, WE, UM, WE HAVE THOSE PLANS AND, UM, HAVE BEEN THAT THEM, UH, AS THE CURRENT CONDITION EVOLVES, UM, IN THE OFF CHANCE THAT, YOU KNOW, SOME OF OUR EMPLOYEES POTENTIALLY CAN'T COME TO WORK.
THAT'S PART OF THE MESSAGING THAT THAT'S BEEN GOING, THAT BEEN GOING, THAT I'VE BEEN SENDING OUT TO THE EMPLOYEES, SO THAT THEY'RE STARTING TO THINK ABOUT THAT.
UM, AND WE'RE, WE'RE CONTINUING TO FOLLOW DOWN THAT PATH.
I, I WOULD LIKE TO, AND MAYBE IT'LL BE, IT CERTAINLY WOULD BE HELPFUL.
I THINK A NUMBER OF YOU HAVE TALKED ABOUT, UM, COMMUNICATION.
UM, UM, AND SINCE WE'RE ON TV, IT MIGHT BE GOOD TO ALSO, I THINK I'M GONNA ASK LAURA A A MAZE TO COME UP AND TALK ABOUT KINDA WHAT WE'VE BEEN DOING IN TERMS OF COMMUNICATION AND HOW THAT'S CONTINUING TO EVOLVE.
AND LAURA, YOU WANT TO, GOOD MORNING.
THANK YOU FOR THOSE QUESTIONS.
UM, AS WE COMMUNICATE DURING THIS CRISIS, WE MAKE SURE TO SHARE TIMELY, ACCURATE INFORMATION IN SEVERAL LANGUAGES.
UM, WE'VE SENT OUT A VARIETY OF PSAS IN ENGLISH, SPANISH, AND AMERICAN SIGN LANGUAGE AS WELL.
UM, YOU MAY HAVE STARTED TO SEE OUR DAILY MEDIA EMAILS THAT HAVE STARTED THIS WEEK.
UM, THOSE INCLUDE THE TOP MESSAGES OF THE DAY.
WE'VE BEEN PROMOTING THE CONCEPT OF SOCIAL DISTANCING, SO PEOPLE CAN STILL GO OUT, ENJOY THEIR SPRING BREAK, KNOW SAN ANTONIO IS OPEN FOR BUSINESS, BUT ALSO KNOW THOSE TIPS SO THAT THEY CAN BE SAFE OUT IN PUBLIC.
UM, WE'RE STARTING TO PIVOT OUR MESSAGING A LITTLE BIT TO ALSO FOCUS, TO YOUR POINT, COUNCILWOMAN ABOUT THE ELDERLY AND SENIOR POPULATIONS, UM, MAKING SURE THAT PEOPLE ARE AWARE OF WHAT THEY CAN DO AND WHO IS MOST VULNERABLE.
UM, AND LIKEWISE, WE'VE PROVIDED YOUR COUNCIL OFFICES AS WELL AS OUR CITY DEPARTMENTS WITH A SUITE OF MATERIALS THAT HAVE PRE-WRITTEN SOCIAL MEDIA POSTS IN ENGLISH AND SPANISH.
THEY'VE GOT PRE-WRITTEN GRAPHICS, UM, AND AS WELL AS VIDEOS.
SO IF THERE'S ANY CONTENT THAT Y'ALL NEED AS WELL, OR IF YOU'D LIKE SOMETHING A LITTLE BIT MORE TAILORED, UM, PLEASE LET ME KNOW AND WE'D BE GLAD TO WORK WITH YOU ON THAT INFORMATION.
UM, I DO HAVE ANOTHER QUESTION, UH, ON SENIOR CENTERS IN PARTICULAR.
AND I KNOW ONE OF MY SENIOR CENTERS IS CLOSE THIS WEEK FOR, FOR RENOVATIONS.
UM, SO I'M SURE THEY'LL HAVE A BRIEFING AFTER THAT.
UH, BUT IF, IF THERE WERE, YOU KNOW, TO COME A, UM, A, A POINT WHERE WE WOULD HAVE TO RECOMMEND THAT MAYBE FOLKS NOT COME INTO, UM, A SENIOR CENTER, UH, I, I WOULD LOVE TO MAYBE GET A HEADS UP ABOUT THAT BECAUSE THAT'S WHERE, UH, ONE OVER ONE THIRD OF THE POPULATION IN DISTRICT FOUR IS OVER 55 PLUS.
SO IT'S SOMETHING THAT'S VERY NEAR AND DEAR TO ME.
UM, AND THEN ALSO, UH, THE DISINFECTION, I APPRECIATE YOU ALL SENT OUT A VERY THOROUGH EMAIL, UH, AND DR.
BRIDGER FORWARDED AGAIN THIS MORNING SO THAT I CAN REVIEW IT, UM, ABOUT THE CLEANING PROCESS AT THESE DIFFERENT PUBLIC SPACES.
CAN SOMEBODY ELABORATE ON THAT? UM, BECAUSE I DON'T KNOW WHO SAW THAT, BUT I JUST WANNA MAKE SURE THAT, UH, EVERYONE'S FULLY AWARE WHAT THE DISINFECTION PROCESS IS.
YOU GUYS SENT OUT A THOROUGH EMAIL ABOUT THE DISINFECTION PROCESS.
UM, AT OUR PUBLIC SPACES, BUT I DON'T KNOW THAT THE AUDIENCES, UH, KNOW THAT OR ARE AWARE OF THAT.
SO CAN SOMEBODY TALK ABOUT WHAT WE'RE DOING AT OUR PUBLIC FACILITIES TO DISINFECT AND JUST EXTRA MEASURES THAT WE'RE TAKING INTO ACCOUNT? JUST LIKE WITH MANY OTHER PUBLIC SETTINGS? UH, WE HAVE HAVE, UH, RED REDOUBLED OUR EFFORTS, AND I'LL ASK DAVID MCCAREY TO TALK ABOUT THE, THE LEVEL OF SERVICE THAT WE HAVE UPPED OUR CLEANING TO, UM, AT ALL OF OUR PUBLIC FACILITIES, UM, BECAUSE OF THE NUMBER OF, THE AMOUNT OF TRAFFIC THAT COMES THROUGH.
ONE OF THE THINGS THAT OUR CITY DOES THAT'S VERY UNIQUE, BUT IT'S VERY CONSISTENT, IS THAT THERE ARE AT LEAST FOUR DIFFERENT LEVELS OF CLEANING THAT, UH, ACTUALLY ARE A PART OF THE ASSOCIATION FOR PLANT OR WHAT WE CALL PHYSICAL PLANT ASSOCIATION.
ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE DO IS THERE'S FOUR STANDARDS.
WE ACTUALLY CLEAN WITH ONE BEING THE HIGHEST WE CLEAN AT STANDARD TWO.
THAT MEANS THAT CURRENTLY WE DISINFECT, WE WIPE DOWN, WE MAKE CERTAIN THAT WE TAKE THOSE EXTRA PRECAUTIONS, NOT JUST CLEANING EACH AND EVERY DAY, BUT WE DO TAKE THE ADDED PREVENTION FOR THAT.
WHEN YOU GET TO LEVEL ONE, YOU'RE THINKING OF LIKE PRE-K FOR SA, THE SCHOOLS THAT ARE THERE FOR THE KIDS, WE ACTUALLY DO OUR PART TO BE A PART OF THAT AS WELL.
BUT THEY'RE CLEANED AT A LEVEL ONE, WHICH GIVES YOU A HIGHER STANDARD TODAY.
THERE ARE NO C OVID 19 CASES IN ANY OF OUR CITY FACILITIES.
SO THERE'S NO NEED TO GO BEYOND STANDARD TWO AS WE HAVE IT TODAY.
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SO I JUST WANTED TO MAKE CERTAIN THAT Y'ALL KNEW THAT, THAT WE'RE AT THE LEVEL THAT WE'RE EXPECTED TO BE AND WE'RE VERY CONSISTENT WITH IT.OUR B E S D DID A TRAINING LAST WEEK WITH, UH, PEREZ.
SO HE WAS VERY GOOD AT, UH, SHARING THAT INFORMATION.
BUT MR. MCCAREY, BUT WE'RE PREPARED IF WE NEEDED TO GO TO LEVEL THREE AND FOUR.
IT SOUNDS LIKE WE HAVE A PLAN.
SO YEAH, SO WHAT HAPPENS IS LEVEL THREE AND FOUR ARE THE LOWEST LEVELS.
ONE IS I'M THE HIGHEST CLEANING, SO WE'RE PREPARED TO SHIFT TO LEVEL ONE.
SHOULD THERE BE A C OVID 19 CASE IN ANY OF OUR FACILITIES TODAY? THERE'S NO NEED TO GO BEYOND THE TWO WITH THE EXCEPTION OF PRE-K FOR SA, BUT LEVEL ONE IS THE STANDARD.
AND THEN ALSO, ARE WE INCORPORATING A TECHNOLOGY, UM, OR INNOVATIVE PRACTICES OF DISINFECTING IN ANY OF THIS? WE ARE CURRENTLY LOOKING AT, UH, TAKING ADVANTAGE OF SOME OF THE TECHNOLOGY, BUT IT'S MORE OF A FOGGER MM-HMM.
SO WE ARE CURRENTLY HAVE SOMETHING ON ORDER JUST IN THE EVENT THAT IS NEEDED.
AND THEN, UM, AS FAR AS, UH, LACKLAND AND I, I KNOW IT'S FEDERAL PROPERTY, AND UM, I JUST WANTED TO ASK, DO WE KNOW WHAT THEIR CLEANING PRACTICES? I, I DON'T THINK THEY WOULD SHARE NECESSARILY, BUT IS THERE, UM, HAVE WE RECEIVED ANY INDICATION OF THEIR DISINFECTING PRACTICES IF THEY'RE BRINGING SOME ADDITIONAL FOLKS ON? NO MA'AM.
UH, COUNCIL MEMBER ROCHA GARCIA.
UH, THERE HAS BEEN A LOT OF DISCUSSION.
OF COURSE, WHAT WE WANNA DO IS URGE PEOPLE TO, UM, YOU KNOW, FOLLOW THE GUIDANCE THAT'S COMING OUT FROM OUR HEALTH AUTHORITY.
UH, WE WILL PUT ALL THE LATEST INFORMATION OUT THERE AS WE DISCUSSED.
THIS IS GONNA BE OUR MAIN CHARGE.
UM, BUT PEOPLE ARE GOING OUT AND STOCKING UP ON THINGS.
AND ONE OF THE THINGS THAT THEY ARE, UH, BUYING IS MASKS.
IS THERE ANY GUIDANCE IN TERMS OF WHEN SOMEONE WOULD ACT WOULD ACTUALLY HAVE TO USE THAT? YOU WANT ASK
UH, CHIEF, I THINK BECAUSE OF ALL THE THINGS THAT PEOPLE ARE SEEING IN THE MEDIA, ONE OF THEM IS THAT PEOPLE ARE GOING OUT AND PURCHASING MASKS AND MASKS.
AND SO WE WANT TO BE ABLE TO TELL PEOPLE TO, YOU KNOW, FOLLOW THE GUIDANCE.
IS THERE ANY GUIDANCE ON WHEN MASKS WOULD BE USED OR, OR ARE THEY KIND OF UNNECESSARY AT THIS POINT? SO IF, IF YOU ARE SICK AND YOU HAVE SYMPTOMS AND YOU AROUND PEOPLE, YOU NEED TO WEAR THE MASK.
BUT IF YOU DON'T HAVE ANY SYMPTOMS, WEARING THE MASK IS NOT GOING TO PROTECT YOU FROM SOMEONE ELSE.
AND, UM, MASK GIVE YOU FALSE SENSE OF SECURITY.
I WAS IN BALTIMORE THE OTHER DAY AND THE DUDE HAD THE MASK AROUND HIS CHIN AND HE WAS DOING THIS UP AND DOWN.
UM, YOU'RE GOING TO MAKE THE CONTAMINATION WORSE IF THERE IS, BUT IF YOU ARE SICK, THAT'S WHEN YOU WANNA PUT THE MASK ON.
ALRIGHT, WELL THIS HAS BEEN A GOOD DISCUSSION AND I WANT TO THANK MY COLLEAGUES ALSO FOR SCRAMBLING, UH, VERY QUICKLY TO GET THIS LATEST INFORMATION OUT.
UH, WE WILL REMAIN FLEXIBLE, UH, TO CALL MEETINGS, UM, WITH ADVANCED NOTICE, BUT AT THIS POINT THERE ARE A COUPLE OF QUESTIONS THAT CAME UP THAT WE DO NEED TO ADDRESS IN EXECUTIVE SESSION.
SO THE TIME IS NOW 11:38 AM ON WEDNESDAY, MARCH 11TH, 2020.
THE CITY COUNCIL, THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO, WHILE NEED WILL NOW MEET IN EXECUTIVE SESSION AND CONSULT WITH THE CITY ATTORNEY'S OFFICE REGARDING THE POSTED AGENDA ITEM PURSUANT TO TEXAS GOVERNMENT CODE SECTION 5 5 1 0.071 ATTORNEY CONSULTATION.
ALRIGHT, TIME IS NOW 12:16 PM ON WEDNESDAY, MARCH 11TH, 2020, AND THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO.
WE'LL NOW RECONVENE AN OPEN SESSION.
NO OFFICIAL ACTION WAS TAKEN IN EXECUTIVE SESSION.
THIS MEETING IS NOW ADJOURNED.