October Timeline of Governor Abbott's Response to COVID-19:
On October 26, as part of the Trump Administration’s comprehensive national effort to fight the COVID-19 pandemic and to assist the nation’s Governors in doing so, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) is sending 8,730,000 state-of-the-art Abbott BinaxNOW COVID-19 point of care antigen tests to the State of Texas. The rapid point of care tests, which can diagnose coronavirus infection in as little as fifteen minutes, will be distributed at the discretion of Governor Greg Abbott to support testing K-12 students, teachers, nursing home patients and staff, higher education, critical infrastructure, first responders, and other priorities as he deems fit.
The Trump Administration has shipped over 1,127,000 COVID-19 rapid tests directly to congregate care settings such as Texas nursing homes, assisted living facilities and to historically black colleges and universities (HBCUs) in the state. As of October 26 over 3,276,000 BinaxNOW tests have been shipped to Texas.
On October 22, Governor Abbott announced that the Texas Department of State Health Services (DSHS) has secured 2.8 million doses of flu vaccine for the Texas Vaccines for Children Program and the new Adult Influenza Vaccine Initiative. Participating medical practices, community clinics and health departments have ordered 1.8 million doses of free flu vaccine this flu season. Parents can search for providers in their area by using the Find a Provider link on the DSHS website.
On October 15, the Texas Division of Emergency Management updated the criteria for a county exemption from the Texas Executive Order GA-29 face-covering requirement. TDEM has promulgated the following criteria for a county exemption from the face-covering requirement of GA-29:
1. The county must have 30 or fewer new COVID-19 cases during the previous 14-dayperiod.
2. The county judge of a county with 30 or fewer new COVID-19 cases during the previous 14-day period must submit an exemption form affirmatively opting out.
3. If a county exceeds 30 new COVID-19 cases during a 14 day period, the county judge will be notified via email by TDEM, the county name will be removed from this website, and the county will be required to comply with all aspects of GA-29. After a 14 day waiting period, if the county has fewer than 30 new COVID-19 cases during the previous 14 day period, the county judge will be eligible to reapply for exemption.
On October 9, Governor Abbott announced the Texas Health and Human Services Commission (HHSC) will receive more than $20 million in additional federal funding for disaster crisis counseling services for Texans impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. This grant is in addition to the $5.8 million in FEMA crisis counseling funds health officials announced in May and will extend counseling services to 28 local mental health and behavioral health authorities in Texas.
On October 8, Governor Abbott amended the paragraph of Executive Order GA-31 that defines “areas with high hospitalizations” to read as follows, effective at 12:01 AM on October 14, 2020: “Areas with high hospitalizations” means any Trauma Service Area that has had seven consecutive days in which the number of COVID-19 hospitalized patients as a percentage of total hospital capacity exceeds 15 percent, until such time as the Trauma Service Area has seven consecutive days in which the number of COVID-19 hospitalized patients as a percentage of total hospital capacity is 15 percent or less.
On October 7, Governor Abbott issued an Executive Order to open bars and similar establishments at up to 50% capacity in conjunction with county officials. In hospital regions with low COVID-19 hospitalizations, County Judges will be able to opt their county into opening bars beginning October 14, provided they assist in enforcing health protocols. The Governor's Executive Order also increases the occupancy levels for all business establishments other than bars to 75%.
On October 7, Governor Abbott renewed the State Disaster Declaration for COVID-19.
On October 2, Governor Abbott and HHSC announced $3.5 million in federal funding for nursing facilities to purchase plexiglass barriers and tents to allow for safe visitation during the COVID19 pandemic.
