June 16, 2020

Covid-19 cases are increasing as expected, but the hospital capacity throughout the state is more than adequate to accommodate the increase, Governor Abbott announced at a press conference in Austin today.

Governor Abbott made four points.

1. We are going to have to coexist with the virus and that means we have to practice safe protocols like wearing masks, keeping social distance and staying home when being out is unnecessary.
2. Hospital beds, ICU beds, ventilators and personal protective equipment are in abundant supply in every region of the state.
3. We are operating at the lowest level of stress on hospital capacity now, there are four additional levels of expanded capacity that are planned, if needed.
4. We know a lot more today about dealing with the disease than we did in March.  We are starting to get drugs that have some impact on the disease.

Sharing the floor with two highly respected medical experts, Dr. John Zerwas and Dr. John Hellerstedt, the Governor stressed that Texas still has fewer cases of Covid-19 and fewer deaths per capita than any other large state.

Governor Abbott emphasized that the number of new cases reported each day often can be misleading.  The reasons behind the numbers are often necessary for a full understanding of the numbers.  Today’s number of new cases in Texas is 2622, the largest daily number on record.  Three counties Collin, Rusk and Hayes had large numbers today that were much higher than normal.

Governor Abbott cited examples where the number of new hospitalizations seemed large, but unreported on the same day was the fact that more beds were made available by patient discharge than were occupied by new cases.  Capacity actually grew.

Texas is seeing a spike among people under 30 years of age which the Governor suspects are from Memorial Weekend celebrations and bar settings.  There is anecdotal evidence that bars are not enforcing social distance protocols.  The TABC will be monitoring bars more closely and suspending the licenses of those not in compliance.

The two hot spots in the state, the El Paso area and the Abilene area, which were held back when the rest of the state opened at level one, are now under control.  The Governor cited this as evidence that the surge team response to areas with high levels of cases has worked.  The health care system is now working to put down surges in “congregant” settings like nursing homes, jails and prisons.

Dr. Zerwas reported that currently we are operating with the beds normally available in the hospital system.  He outlined four additional expansions of beds possible.  We can surge to get more beds that are physically in hospitals but not in use.  Another level of surge is to add beds in areas of hospitals not currently used for patient care.  The next level is to expand into medical buildings and hotels if necessary.  The last level of surge would be to expand to public buildings and field hospitals.

In answer to a reporter’s question Dr. Hellersted said that while psychiatric beds are not being counted in the numbers, beds in children’s hospitals are.  While it is not common for a child to be hospitalized with Covid-19, these hospitals can and are willing to treat older patients.

Dr. Zerwas presentation can be viewed by clicking here.