COVID-19 Announcement from District 8

Dear Neighbors,

My team and I are closely monitoring developments related to COVID-19, and as the news unfolds we want to provide our constituents with a substantive update to ease concerns.

Today, Mayor Ron Nirenberg has confirmed the first travel-related COVID-19 case in San Antonio. This travel-related case was confirmed late last night and is not in any way connected to the repatriated cruise ship evacuees at JBSA Lackland. This individual along with their family are in stable condition and have been instructed to remain in self-quarantine.

I want to assure you that our City has been preparing for this outbreak. Governor Greg Abbott declared a “state of disaster” for all 254 counties in Texas. To limit the spread of the virus a declaration of public health emergency was issued.

As of today, the Mayor has banned large gatherings of 500 people or more and is strongly advising against gatherings 250 people or more. Please follow the proper precautions outlined by the CDC.

If you are experiencing symptoms, we strongly urge you not to go to a hospital emergency room. Please be aware that the COVID-19 tests are administered by your provider, and you should call your primary care physician or an urgent care center to get guidance on what to do next. Please keep in mind that going to the ER should be your last resort in order to protect our healthcare workers and prevent our healthcare system from being overwhelmed.

To prevent the spread of this outbreak we need your cooperation. We are asking for the community to practice social distancing and good hygiene to help us prevent the spread of COVID-19.

•   Avoid public gatherings of 10 or more unless it is essential.
•   If you can stay home or telecommute, please do so.
•   Avoid people who are sick.
•   Create an emergency plan if you or your family member gets sick.

Who Is At Risk?

People at higher risk of getting sick from COVID-19 are older adults, people who have serious chronic medical conditions like heart disease, diabetes, and lung disease. To learn more information please visit the CDC website.

APP

Residents are encouraged to download the Ready South Texas app, available on iTunes and Google Play stores, to receive updates on the developing COVID-19 situation in San Antonio.

Closures

Lastly, the spread of the novel coronavirus has caused a number of events in San Antonio to be canceled or postponed. Fiesta Commission has decided to postpone Fiesta 2020 until November. Northside ISD has confirmed schools will be closed next week, March 16-20. To read the full statement released you can view that here. We will continue to monitor school closures in our district and update information across our social media pages.

Neighborhood Meetings and District Events

Our staff regularly attends neighborhood meetings to provide updates and address constituent concerns. Due to the COVID-19 outbreak, our team will refrain from attending HOA meetings until April 30, 2020. However, we will maintain communication with HOA leaders. District events will be postponed until April 30, 2020. Please follow @district8manny on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram for the latest updates on our events.

Remote Work Plan

Out of an abundance of caution, our physical offices will be closed and will be updated on a weekly basis. As of this time, all-District 8 events will be canceled until April 30, 2020.
Our team will have access to email and will be monitoring calls received. The goal will be to limit the disruption of the delivery of constituent services. We can assure you that the health and safety of all San Antonians is our top priority and will take all precautions necessary to prevent the spread of COVID-19.As always you can reach us at 210-207-7086 or by email at council.district8@sanantonio.gov.

Indebted to public service,

Councilman Manny Pelaez