City of San Antonio Alerts Residents to COVID-19 Surge
November 21, 2020 - San Antonio
Social-Distancing for the Holiday. The City of San Antonio and Bexar County are advising of a significant spike in Covid-19 cases and hospitalizations since the last July 2020 surge. Courtesy Image: City of San Antonio.
By Valeria Torrealba, Staff Intern, San Antonio Sentinel
WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW:
- The City of San Antonio and Bexar County reported 936 new cases of COVID-19 on Friday, Nov. 20, the largest increase since the July surge.
- The Alamo City region saw a significant spike in COVID-19 cases and hospitalizations after Memorial Day and the Fourth of July.
Holidays are usually known to bring loved one and families together. However, city and county officials are advising against celebrating the Thanksgiving holiday with anyone other than immediate members of your household.
The City of San Antonio and Bexar County reported 936 new cases of COVID-19 on Friday, Nov. 20, the largest increase since the July surge.
The region saw a significant spike in COVID-19 cases and hospitalizations after Memorial Day and the Fourth of July. At its peak, the number of COVID-19 infections pushed the hospital system dangerously close to capacity.
The City and County issued a Wireless Emergency Alert (WEA) to urge all residents to protect themselves and others from COVID-19 by staying home, staying six feet apart from others, avoiding non-essential outings and wearing a mask at all times.
"Staying disciplined is the best way to beat COVID-19," said San Antonio Mayor Ron Nirenberg. "By avoiding behaviors and situations that spread the coronavirus throughout the holiday season, we will sideline COVID-19 and speed up our return to normal. The number of cases has been increasing significantly, showing that coronavirus is spreading throughout our community. Protect yourself and your loved ones. Keep wearing masks, keep your distance and keep COVID-19 at bay."
The Wireless Emergency Alert message sent was as follows:
“936 new COVID-19 cases reported today – the most since July. With the virus spreading, limit unnecessary outings, avoid social gatherings and wear your mask. https://bit.ly/3nGa9RK
“936 nuevos casos de COVID-19 reportados hoy, la mayor cantidad desde Julio. Limite las salidas innecesarias, evite las reuniones sociales y use cubrebocas. https://bit.ly/3nGa9RK”
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More than half of COVID-19 cases in Bexar County were contracted because they were found to be close contacts of a confirmed positive case. Close contacts classify as people who were within six-feet of an infected person for at least 15 minutes. Avoiding large gatherings, wearing masks and practicing physical distancing decreases the risk of contracting COVID-19 or spreading the virus to others.
“I know we are all tired of COVID and we all feel like we have sacrificed enough this year,” said Nirenberg. “However, we cannot become complacent and give into this virus. So, as we go into the Thanksgiving holiday, I want to again plead with our community to celebrate Thanksgiving at home with the people you live with.”
Underlying health conditions, such as asthma or autoimmune disorders, are thought to affect the way the novel coronavirus affects the body, putting these individuals at a higher risk.
The public can reduce their risk of contracting COVID-19 by wearing a mask, practicing physical distancing and avoiding large gatherings, especially if they are indoors in a space with poor ventilation.
Tips for reducing exposure to COVID-19, including guidelines for safe family and friends gatherings to minimize exposure, can be found here: https://covid19.sanantonio.gov/What-YOU-Can-Do/Stay-Safe-and-Celebrate
For more information visit covid19.sanantonio.gov.
Valeria Torrealba is an opinions columnist and public relations assistant at the University Star, a student publication of Texas State University. Email her at reporter@sasentinel.com