Members,
Today’s update will provide current COVID-19 status links in our region, Additionally, it will focus on major changes to our state and communities as we strive to reopen our states and communities. Included in this update is a Safe Return to Work PlayBook by our friends at Toyota Texas. Lastly, I’ll provide the latest unemployment numbers for our MSA per WSA, a shout out to the San Antonio Food Bank for the great job they are doing (if you can help them, please do) and quickly cover an upcoming SAMA survey for our manufacturing community.
COVID-19 Update
See links below for current statistics:
- World Statistics – www.worldmeters.info/coronavirus/
- State – www.texas.gov Dept. of State Health Services – Texas Counts. Also, review the following regarding the opening of the State of Texas and guidelines for travelers:
- City of San Antonio, Bexar County – www.sanantonio.gov and Novel Coronavirus (COVID-19) – Case and Testing information www.sanantonio.gov/Health/News/Alerts/CoronaVirus
Opening the State of Texas
On Monday, April 27, 2020, Governor Greg Abbott announced the first phase of the plan to Open Texas while minimizing the spread of COVID-19. Under Phase I, certain services and activities are allowed to open with limited occupancy, and DSHS released minimum standard health protocols for businesses and individuals.
The Governor also announced statewide testing and contact tracing initiatives to identify and test Texans who contract COVID-19 and mitigate further spread of the virus.
Additionally, the Governor announced a process for rural counties with five or fewer laboratory-confirmed cases of COVID-19 to, on an individualized basis, increase occupancy limits for certain businesses if the county judge certifies and affirms to DSHS that certain requirements have been met.
The Governor’s announcement is accompanied by Texans Helping Texans: The Governor’s Report to Open Texas. This detailed report, available on the Governor’s Strike Force to Open Texas website, helps Texans understand Phase I by outlining the new protocols, guidance, and recommendations.
CITY OF SAN ANTONIO COVID-19 TRANSITION TEAM REPORTS
On April 28, the COVID-19 Health Transition Team appointed by Mayor Ron Nirenberg and County Judge Nelson Wolff released a multi-phase plan for reopening our community as safely as possible.
The plan offers guidance based on public health evidence, data, and expertise to re-open San Antonio and Bexar County.
- COVID-19 Health Transition Team Report – A Guide for Reopening San Antonio and Bexar County
- COVID-19 Health Transition Team Presentation
MAYOR’S EMERGENCY DECLARATION AND BEXAR COUNTY EXECUTIVE ORDER – EXTENDS ORDERS TILL MAY 19TH
Mayor’s Emergency Declaration No. 6 San Antonio, Texas 4/29/2020
Regional Updates
- Bexar County – Stay Home, Work Safe order in effect till May 19th. Update on cases can be found here.
- Guadalupe County – Stay Home, Work Safe order expired on April 30th. Update on cases can be found here.
- Comal County – Stay Home, Work Safe order expired on April 30th. Update on cases can be found here.
Reopening Businesses
In an effort to assist manufacturers to “get back to business”, Toyota has created a Safe@Work Playbook and has asked SAMA to share based on requests for guidance on how to get back to business. Thank you Toyota Texas!
Download Toyota Safe@Work Playbook
Latest Unemployment Claims for our Region from WSA
SeeWorkforce Solutions – Unemployment Insurance Claimants (when we start recovering, let’s see if we can help turn this around).
San Antonio Food Bank
If you all have seen the latest news lately, they have been doing a phenomenal job and they are finishing up its seventh week of disaster response due to the pandemic. Normally, they feed 60,000 local families but now they face double the amount and are dangerously close to running out of food. Additionally, they are running short on volunteers. If you can help in any way, please do. Cash is best for a contribution. https://safoodbank.org/
SAMA Survey for Manufacturing Community
We will be sending out a survey to manufacturers shortly regarding supply chain disruptions and thoughts on how to re-establish them here in the U.S. and/or our region. This pandemic has proven to us, we must shorten the supply chain to sustain our industry.
In closing, I just want to say thank you for doing your part in this fight against the COVID-19 coronavirus. Whether working to keep our critical infrastructure going, sheltering in place, re-tooling to manufacturer PPE, assisting your communities in our region, or being an executive leader and administrator for SAMA, thank you and know your association will continue to do its part to be your voice and advocate.
