Celebrate mom from a distance, officials say, as coronavirus cases rise in Fort Worth
Sunday is a day to honor your mother, but Tarrant County’s top health official isn’t sure if that’s a celebration that should be done in person.
As the number of coronavirus cases and deaths continue to rise in Tarrant County, the safest way to tell your mom you love her on Mother’s Day may be over the phone.
“I know it’s a hard thing, but the situation hasn’t gotten to the point where we should make unnecessary visits,” said Vinny Taneja, Tarrant County’s public health director. “I know that sounds harsh.
“Visiting mom is very important. But let’s try to leverage technology to do that. Try to stay home as much as you can, make sure you are using technology to visit mom and send her some love.”
Taneja’s comments came Tuesday, after County Commissioners learned that coronavirus cases are on the rise in Tarrant County, with 2,686 cases that include 83 deaths and 653 recoveries.
Tanejanoted that the curve of COVID-19 cases did seem to flatten for the first five or six weeks, but recently the number of cases has been rising.
“It’s a little worrisome because we saw an uptick in cases instead of staying flat,” Taneja said, adding that there also are more people in the hospital sick with coronavirus.
On April 13, he said, there were 113 COVID-19 patients in Tarrant County hospitals. On Tuesday, that number was up to 237.
“We need to be very, very cautious,” Taneja said. “Just because we are allowed to do something doesn’t mean we, as the public, shouldn’t take precautions.
“We need to continue to stay home ... unless you absolutely must go out.”
Gov. Greg Abbott recently announced that Texas businesses are reopening in phases. The first phase, which went into effect May 1, let restaurants, malls, retail stores, movie theaters and more open to limited occupancy. Barbershops and hair salons are allowed to open Friday and gyms on May 18.
Tarrant County Judge Glen Whitley said he realizes many people want to see and celebrate their moms on Sunday.
He urged people to make the best decisions they can and to wear masks and exercise social distancing if they go out.
“It’s not infringing on (your) freedom. It’s protecting folks,” Whitley said. “The last thing you want to do is cause your mom to come down with this COVID-19 virus.”
City parks will not be closed on Mother’s Day, as they were on Easter.
But city officials ask park users to not go to the park or trails if they have symptoms. Access to public restrooms and water fountains will be limited.
‘End that curve’
Whitley said he believes it is appropriate to lessen restrictions because there is plenty of room at the hospitals. The latest count showed there still are 2,451 available hospital beds.
And the number of testing sites continues to grow in Tarant County.
Tuesday afternoon, a site opened in southeast Fort Worth for those seeking and scheduling tests through covidtesting.tarrantcounty.com. This screening website allows about 400 tests on five days a week and not all of those slots are being booked, officials said.
At the same time, an effort is underway with the county public health department, Fort Worth Fire Department and Medstar to test people for coronavirus at long term care facilities, Taneja said.
Whitley said workers at those facilities “are being dealt a very tough hand” and are heroes, “doing the best they can, serving the most vulnerable people.”
Commissioner Roy Brooks said he realizes everyone is doing the best they can.
“But the fact is the numbers are still going up,” he said. “We need to focus on what we need to do to try to end that curve.”
Whitley said he’s concerned when he goes into a store and sees that people aren’t wearing masks or practicing social distancing.
“We still need to take this very seriously,” he said. “Most of the folks who come down with this are not going to the hospital. But that doesn’t mean we don’t need to be very concerned about spreading this even more.
“Let’s just use some common sense,” he said. “Let’s be respectful and responsible for our actions as we get around other folks.”
Financial impact
County leaders also are looking ahead to the largest needs and who will need financial help to try to recover from closures tied to coronavirus.
Tarrant County received $210 million from the federal government, through the “CARES Act.” Officials are waiting to see what additional money might be coming from the state to help.
Some of the county’s money has been spent to buy 1.5 million surgical masks. Some of the masks have been given to cities throughout the county; others are being kept for county use.
And more money is being used to help pay for coronavirus testing.
But officials said they know small businesses need help, as do people who lost their jobs and can’t pay their rent. At the same time, social services from food banks to homeless shelters will need help, as will a number of cities throughout Tarrant County.
“We are not going to be able to help anybody if we don’t get this money out as soon as possible,” Commissioner Gary Fickes said.
“There’s no moss growing on these rolling stones,” Tarrant County Adminsiter G.K. Maenius said. “We are moving as quickly as possible.”
