Drive-thru testing for COVID-19 started at 10 a.m. today at the Brownsville Sports Park, according to Brownsville Mayor Trey Mendez.
People who are feeling symptoms should complete a questionnaire, which can be found on the City of Brownsville website, before showing up to the testing site.
“The portal is the starting point for citizens to become engaged in the process of getting tested if they feel they may be at risk,” Arturo Rodriguez, Public Health director for the City of Brownsville, said today during a Zoom webconference for the media. “Keep in mind that the process is part of our contractor, who will then take them to some questions. If the contractor feels that they are individuals who qualify for the testing, they will receive a message from the contractor and they will be given a time and a location to show up at.”
When individuals arrive at the site, the on-site technicians will screen them. Test results will take from 72 hours to five to seven days, depending on the laboratory capacity at the time, according to Rodriguez.
He said once tested, individuals need to stay home until results are provided to them.
“The people who are looking for the test, if they have medical insurance, then the medical insurance will be taken through the office of Dr. [Eder] Hernandez,” Mendez said in Spanish. “If for any reason they don’t have insurance, then there are funds available through the City of Brownsville to cover that.”
Screening priority is based on need and risk, according to Rodriguez.
Asked if the city and local hospitals are prepared in the case of additional positive COVID-19 cases, Rodriguez said they have weekly calls with health-care providers, including hospitals.
“Keep in mind, our local hospitals in Brownsville, we’re being told they’re part of national chains of hospitals and they have their resources and capacity to be able to bring equipment,” Rodriguez said. “They have been in contact with their national organization and other nursing organizations to be able to provide Brownsville as the situation evolves and changes.”
The mayor added that the number of positive COVID-19 results are going up every day because of an increase in access to more tests.
He said the city should be operating as if it had several more individuals with the virus that have not been confirmed in order to be prepared.
“The biggest reason that we’re doing what we’re doing and that communities across the nation are sheltering in place, they’re taking these extreme measures, is because hospital systems across the country do not have enough beds to take in the individuals that may get sick if nothing is done. By reacting the way that we’re reacting … is so that other individuals in the community won’t be exposed to it.”
He said the city is doing its part to try to “flatten the curve” in order to prevent people from getting sick or exposed and ending up in the hospital.
Brownsville City Commission Special Emergency Meeting
During a special emergency meeting Tuesday, the Brownsville City Commission amended the Declaration of Local State of Disaster for Public Health Emergency to comply with Cameron County Judge Eddie Trevino Jr.’s mandatory shelter order.
The declaration amended the measures on restaurants and bars to now allow only delivery, pickup and takeout.
Other changes include religious and worship services are to be provided by video and teleconference and limit in-person staff to 10 or less; all elected medical, surgical and dental procedures are prohibited anywhere in the city; child-care centers shall have a limit of 10 children per room and comply with the six-foot social distancing requirements; and, adult-care centers shall have a limit of 10 adults per room and comply with the six-foot social distancing requirements, according to the amended declaration.
The commission also approved:
–the city manager to authorize purchases above the formal solicitation threshold in response to COVID-19 with a ceiling of $250,000 per contract;
–the city manager to delegate authority to the deputy/assistant city manager or emergency management coordinator for approval of purchases above the formal solicitation threshold in response to COVID-19, with each delegated expenditure being no more than $50,000;
–Resolution No. 2020-028, which expands the scope of services of the Public Health Department; and,
–the amended City of Brownsville Personnel Policy manual to allow the establishment of a sick leave pool.
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