SEN. KOLKHORST TALKS COVID-19, PPE, HOSPITAL PREPAREDNESS
State Senator Lois Kolkhorst has provided an update on the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic and how the state is preparing for an expected peak in cases, whenever that may be.
(courtesy Office of Lois Kolkhorst)
Kolkhorst, the Chair of the Senate Committee on Health and Human Services, said she regularly meets via conference call alongside state representatives with mayors and county judges, listening and taking their questions. She also takes part each week in calls with the White House for nationwide information. In addition, she participates in daily conference calls with state health officials.
Kolkhorst said a great amount of information is learned each day about the coronavirus and possible treatment options.
Kolkhorst said she has been able to identify over 19,000 hospital beds across the state, saying the number is much higher from where the state was two weeks ago. She has also been able to identify more than 2,000 Intensive Care Unit (ICU) beds, and over 8,700 ventilators, with more in the works. She added that 94 percent of beds set aside for COVID-19 and ICU patients are not being filled at this point.
Kolkhorst has also been working on supplying the much needed personal protective equipment (PPE) for first responders and other “frontline workers” in hospitals and doctor’s offices. She said Governor Greg Abbott recently secured 2.5 million masks, and is expecting another shipment by Saturday. She said, while the PPE can never get here quickly enough, she is grateful that the supply chain is starting to catch up.
Today (Wednesday), Abbott announced Walgreens will soon begin drive-thru testing for COVID-19 at 15 sites in Texas, as well as six other states. Abbott said the tests were developed by Abbott Labs, and will take approximately 15 minutes to get a result. He added each of the sites may be able to administer 3,000 tests per day. The 15 locations, according to Walgreens, are being finalized in collaboration with the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, and are planned for select hot spot markets with rising rates of COVID-19 cases.
Kolkhorst said common sense will play a large role in ending the spread of the virus.
Kolkhorst encouraged the public to continue following health information and updates from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) at www.cdc.gov, and the Department of State Health Services (DSHS) at www.dshs.texas.gov.