Federal Government Agrees To Extend Testing Support By 2 Weeks
The good news: the federal government has agreed to extend support of community based test sites, filling a critical need as coronavirus cases surge across Texas.
The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services and the Federal Emergency Management Agency have been supplying the capacity to conduct 2,000 tests each day — half of it at the two Community-Based Testing Sites at the American Airlines Center and the Ellis Davis Field House.
Before this agreement, the testing sites at American Airlines Center and Ellis Davis Field House were scheduled to close on June 30. This extension provides for two additional weeks of support. State, local, and federal officials plan to remain in close contact during that time regarding testing needs beyond the 14-day period.
Testing Site Changes
The American Airlines Center site will still close after June 30. The Ellis Davis Field House drive-through site will double its capacity to 1,000 tests each day. A private vendor has contracted with the City of Dallas, which is sharing costs with Dallas County, to open a new site at the University of Dallas in Irving. The site will open July 1 and will have the capacity to collect 500 tests each day, Monday through Saturday.
“I am heartened and relieved by this news. Federal testing support has been critical to our response to this pandemic,” Mayor Johnson said. “Our ability to identify and isolate COVID-19 cases is especially important as we have seen our numbers move in the wrong direction. I want to thank Secretary Alex Azar, Senators John Cornyn and Ted Cruz, members of our Congressional delegation, and Governor Abbott for their advocacy on this vitally important matter.”
The bad news: Dallas County reports a new record high for daily COVID-19 cases with 496, and ten additional deaths. Dallas County has a total of 19,034, including 344 deaths. They do not report the number of those that have recovered.
10 deaths being reported today include:
- A man in his 50’s who was a resident of the City of Irving. He had been critically ill in an area hospital, and had underlying high risk health conditions.
- A woman in her 50’s who was a resident of the City of Garland. She had been critically ill in an area hospital, and had underlying high risk health conditions.
- A man in his 60’s who was a resident of the City of Irving. He had been critically ill in an area hospital, and had underlying high risk health conditions.
- A man in his 60’s who was a resident of a long-term care facility in the City of Mesquite. He had been hospitalized.
- A man in his 60’s who was a resident of the City of Dallas. He was found deceased at home, and had underlying high risk health conditions.
- A man in his 70’s who was a resident of the City of Garland. He had been critically ill in an area hospital, and had underlying high risk health conditions.
- A man in his 80’s who was a resident of the City of Dallas. He had been critically ill in an area hospital, and had underlying high risk health conditions.
- A man in his 80’s who was a resident of the City of Dallas. He had been critically ill in an area hospital, and did not have underlying high risk health conditions.
- A woman in her 80’s who was a resident of a long-term care facility in the City of Duncanville. She had been hospitalized, and had underlying high risk health conditions.
- A man in his 80’s who was a resident of the City of Farmers Branch. He had been critically ill in an area hospital, and did not have underlying high risk health conditions.
Jenkins Feels Texas Needs More State Mandated Restrictions
“Today we’ve seen our highest number of COVID-19 cases thus far at 496 cases. We’re also announcing ten more deaths bringing the total up to 344 deaths. I’m pleased that the Governor agreed with local leaders and healthcare leaders to close bars and issue some common sense requirements at the state level to curb crowd size and help slow the progression. In order to have our best chance to slow the second wave, much more is needed at the state level, including the restoration of the powers of local leaders that were taken on May 1st.
Each of us has an important role to play. Wear your mask whenever outside your home and whenever within six feet of people outside your home. Avoid crowds and go only to places where masks can be worn 100% of the time. If the establishment you’re going to is a place where it is not possible to wear the mask 100% of the time, such as a restaurant, choose the take-out option during this time of increasing spread. Wash your hands frequently, take hand sanitizer for those times when you don’t have access to soap and water, and keep at least a six foot distance from people when out exercising.” Judge Clay Jenkins
