RITA
RITA ESPINOZA, ALONG WITH DR. BRIAN ALSEP WHO'S THE CHIEF MEDICAL OFFICER FOR
UNIVERSITY HEALTH AND
THIS IS OUR COVID-19
UPDATE FOR THE
SAN ANTONIO COMMUNITY.
TONIGHT WE'RE REPORTING
166 NEW CASES OF COVID-19
WHICH BRINGS THE TOTAL TO
202,716.
OUR SEVEN-DAY MOVING
AVERAGE IS NOW AT 176.
THANKFULLY TODAY WE HAVE
NO NEW DEATHS TO REPORT.
WE HAVE LOST 3,071 ANY
3,071
UPDATED OVER SOME DEATH
INVESTIGATIONS OVER THE
WEEKEND.
I WANT TO REMIND YOU THAT
EVERY SINGLE ONE OF THESE
NUMBERS IS A LOVED ONE
WHOM WE ARE DEARLY
MISSING.
PLEASE KEEP THEIR FRIENDS
AND FAMILIES AND
SURVIVORS IN YOUR PRAYERS
TONIGHT.
WE'VE LOST TOO MANY OF
OUR LOVED ONES IN THIS
COMMUNITY FROM COVID-19.
WE'RE SEEING MORE
IMPROVEMENTS IN OUR
HOSPITALS THIS EVENING.
188 PATIENTS IN LOCAL
HOSPITALS, THAT'S THE
LOWEST NUMBER AGAIN SINCE
OUR DOWNTURN BEGAN.
THERE WERE 19 NEW
ADMISSIONS IN THE LAST 24
HOURS, THAT'S ALSO A LOW
NUMBER.
81 PATIENTS IN THE ICU
AND 46 PATIENTS THIS
EVENING ARE ON
VENTILATORS.
NOW, LET'S GO TO OUR
PROGRESS AND WARNING WEEK IN
OUR POSITIVITY RATE
BECAUSE OF TESTING, WE'RE
NOW SEEING IT BACK DOWN,
NOW TO THE LOWEST POINT
IT'S BEEN SINCE APRIL OF
2020.
THAT'S GREAT NEWS, 2.3%
POSITIVITY RATE AND AS A
RESULT, THE RISK
INDICATOR BAR REMAINS AT
THE LOWEST SETTING.
GREAT NEWS AGAIN.
BUT, PLEASE, WE'RE
REMINDING YOU NOT
EVERYONE IN THIS
COMMUNITY IS VACCINATED
AND WE STILL NEED TO
FOLLOW OUR HEALTH AND
SAFETY PROTOCOLS SO
PLEASE DO NOT LET YOUR
GUARD DOWN, MASK UP AND
PRACTICE SOCIAL
DISTANCING.
AS OF YESTERDAY IN OUR
COMMUNITY, WE HAVE
416,797 PEOPLE WHO HAVE
RECEIVED THEIR FIRST DOSE
OF VACCINE AND A FULL
23,004 PEOPLE ARE FULLY
VACCINATED, ALL GOOD
NEWS.
LET ME TURN IT NOW TO
JUDGE WOLFF.
>> Judge Wolff: YEAH,
THANKS, MAYOR.
AND EVERYTHING IS
CERTAINLY POINTING IN THE
RIGHT DIRECTION, BUT
LET'S JUST KIND OF SET
THE CONTEXT FOR THAT.
HERE WE ARE MARCH 22ND,
IS THAT RIGHT, AND THE
PRESIDENT OF THE
UNITED STATES SAYS HIS
GOAL IS TO BY JULY 4TH
HAVE US BACK TO LIFE
NORMAL.
BUT THAT MEANS WE'VE
STILL GOT THREE MONTHS TO
GO THROUGH TO MAKE SURE
THAT WE DON'T TRIGGER
SOMETHING THAT COULD COME
BACK TO HAUNT ALL OF US.
SO, AGAIN, THANKS A LOT
FOR WHAT EVERYBODY'S
DOING WITH RESPECT TO
FACE MASK AND SOCIAL
DISTANCE.
BEAR WITH US.
BEAR WITH US ANOTHER TWO
OR THREE MONTHS AND WE
SHOULD BE HOME SAFE AND
GET BACK TO NORMAL LIFE
IN THE UNITED STATES.
AS THE MAYOR SAID, WE'RE
DOWN TO 188 IN THE
HOSPITAL.
WHEN WE HAD THE SUMMER
SURGE, BETWEEN THE SUMMER
SURGE AND THE WINTER
SURGE, WE REACHED 184,
WHICH WAS THE LOWEST
NUMBER IN THE HOSPITAL,
SO WE'RE RIGHT
APPROACHING THAT.
AND WE'RE HEADING IN THE
RIGHT DIRECTION.
WE'VE JUST GOT TO KEEP IT
UP NOW FOR TWO OR THREE
MORE MONTHS TO GET US
THROUGH THIS.
VACCINES, YOU KNOW, LAST
WEEK, WE JUS HARD, BECAUSE YOU
DID 31,202 VACCINATIONS
JUST LAST WEEK, AND
THAT'S THE FIRST AND
SECOND DOSE OF PFIZER.
SO THAT'S A HUGE NUMBER
TO DO, AND BY FAR, A
RECORD FOR ONE WEEK WITH
UNIVERSITY HOSPITAL,
BEXAR COUNTY HOSPITAL
DISTRICT AND DOING THE
WONDERLAND AND THE
DOWNTOWN.
THAT BRINGS US UP A TOTAL
NOW TO 220,048, ABOUT
HALF OF ALL THE
VACCINATIONS THAT HAVE
BEEN DONE IN THE CITY,
SO, AGAIN,
CONGRATULATIONS.
THIS WEEK, STARTING WITH
TEACHERS AND THE SCHOOL
AD ADMINISTRATORS THIS
WEEK AND CARRYING THROUGH
THE WEEK.
WE'RE GOING TO SEE WHAT
HAPPENS, SEVERAL STATES
HAVE OPENED UP FOR
ANYBODY TO GET A SHOT.
AT SOME POINT THE
GOVERNOR IN THE STATE OF
TEXAS WILL PROBABLY MAKE
SOME SORT OF AN
ANNOUNCEMENT AND WE'LL
HAVE TO BE PREPARED FOR
THAT.
>> Mayor Nirenberg: YEAH,
AND WE CERTAINLY HOPE
THEY'RE ACCOMPANIED BY
MORE VACCINES.
THANK YOU, JUDGE.
I DO WANT TO MAKE AN
URGENT CALL TO YOU
LISTENING AND
AT THE SAME TIME, THE
INVENTORY IS UPSIDE
DOWN.
WHAT THAT MEANS IS THE
SOUTH TEXAS BLOOD AND
TISSUE CENTER IS SENDING
OUT 100 MORE UNITS OF
BLOOD EVERY DAY THAN IT'S
TAKING IN CURRENTLY, AND
THAT'S NOT A GOOD THING,
SO WE NEED SOME HELP WITH
BLOOD DONATIONS.
OVER THE PAST WEEKEND,
BLOOD DONORS FILLED ONLY
60% OF THE APPOINTMENTS
THAT WERE AVAILABLE AT
THE BLOOD CENTER, SO WE
NEED YOU TO MAKE THAT
CALL, MAKE YOUR
APPOINTMENT, IF YOU'RE
ABLE TO DONATE BLOOD,
PLEASE DO IT AS SOON AS
POSSIBLE.
THE TOTAL BLOOD INVENTORY
REMAINS AT A CRITICAL
LEVEL AT JUST TWO-DAYS
SUPPLY.
THE TYPE O BLOOD ILS
ARE COUNTING ON US TO
STEP UP TO THE
CHALLENGE.
THE SOUTH TEXAS BLOOD AND
DONOR CENTER HAS SIX
ROOMS IN THIS AREA ALONG
WITH MOBILE SITE.
CALL (210)358-2812.
WE ALSO WANT TO REMIND
YOU IF YOU NEED
ASSISTANCE PAYING RENT OR
MORTGAGE DURING THIS
CRISIS, YOU CAN CALL
3-1-1 TO ACCESS OUR
EMERGENCY HOUSING
ASSISTANCE PROGRAM.
ALSO, IF YOU'RE OUT OF
WORK AND WITHOUT AN
INCOME AND WOULD LIKE TO
TRAIN FOR A JOB THAT'S
AVAILABLE IN OUR
COMMUNITY TODAY AND
RECEIVE A STIPEND WHILE
YOU DO SO, YOU CAN ENROLL
IN OUR JOB TRAINING
PROGRAM AT 210-224-HELP
OR, AGAIN, CALL 3-1-1 FOR
MORE INFORMATION.
FINALLY, IF YOU'D LIKE TO
SIGN UP FOR THE TEXT
ALERT SYSTEM FOR AN ALERT
WHEN THE VACCINE
APPOINTMENTS ARE
AVAILABLE IN OUR PUBLIC
HEALTH PROVIDERS, YOU CAN
TEXT VACCINE OR VA K
CUNA TO 55000 AND FINALLY
IF YOU WANT TO GET THE
LATEST ON COVID-19 IN OUR
COMMUNITY TEXT COSAGOV
55000 OR GO TO THE
WEBSITE
COVID-19.SANANTONIO.GOV.
WEBSITE COVID-19.SANANTONIO.GOV. THE LIGHT AT THE END OF
THE TUNNEL, WE HAVE TO
GET THERE TOGETHER, MASK
UP, PRACTICE PROPER
HYGIENE.
DO IT FOR YOURSELF, DO IT
FOR YOUR FAMILY AND FOR
SAN ANTONIO.
WE'RE AVAILABLE FOR
QUESTIONS.
>> Reporter: OUR FIRST
QUESTION TONIGHT IS FOR
RITA.
IS THERE A BREAKDOWN OF
HOW MANY VARIANT CASES
THAT HAVE BEEN RECORDED
IN BEXAR COUNTY?
STRAIN THAT &-ú
THAT HAVE BEEN RECORDED IN BEXAR COUNTY? STRAIN THAT &-úD
WE'RE -- WHAT WE KNOW OF
THOSE INDIVIDUALS, THEY
HAVE ALL FULLY RECOVERED
AND NONE OF THEM WERE
HOSPITALIZED, SO THEY
DIDN'T HAVE ANY MORE
SEVERE ILLNESS THAN OTHER
COVID CASES.
>> Reporter: ANOTHER ONE
FOR RITA AND DR. ALSEP,
WOULD YOU HYPOTHESIZE
THAT THE DECREASING
POSITIVITY RATE IS DUE TO
A RISING NUMBER OF FULLY
VACCINATED RESIDENTS?
>> WELL, WHAT WE WANT
PEOPLE TO DO IS TO GET A
VACCINE AS SOON AS
THEY'RE ELIGIBLE, AND I
THINK WITH THE STATISTICS
THAT THE JUDGE SHARED
EARLIER, I THINK WE'VE
MADE SOME SIGNIFICANT
PROGRESS.
I THINK THE MAYOR HAS
GIVEN YOU NUMBERS THAT
INDICATE WE'RE CLOSE TO
THAT 10% FOR FULLY
VACCINATED FOR ALL OF
BEXAR COUNTY, AND
PROBABLY 20% FOR A SINGLE
DOSE.
THAT'S NOT ANYWHERE NEAR
HERD IMMUNITY.
SO I THINK WE HAVE A LONG
WAY TO GO BUT IT'S
CERTAINLY MOVING IN THE
RIGHT DIRECTION.
>> Reporter: IS THERE ANY
EVIDENCE IN THE CASE
NUMBERS THAT SUGGEST
LIFTING THE STATE MASK
MANDATE IS HAVING AN
IMPACT?
>> AT THIS POINT, WE'RE
REALLY NOT SEEING AN
INCREASE IN CASES SINCE
THE LIFT IN THE MASK
MANDATE.
WE'RE STILL URGING
INDIVIDUALS AND THE
PUBLIC HEALTH
RECOMMENDATION IS FOR
INDIVIDUALS TO MASK UP.
>> Judge Wolff: WE HAVE A
LITTLE BETTER IDEA.
FIRST OF ALL, I THINK
HERE IN SAN ANTONIO -- I
DON'T KNOW ABOUT THE REST
OF THE STATE, I THINK
EVERYBODY IS REALLY,
REALLY STEPPING UP AND
CONTINUING TO DO THE
MASK.
WE'LL HAVE A MUCH BETTER
IDEA, I THINK, IF IT DOES
HAVE ANY IMPACT --
HOPEFULLY IT WILL NOT --
AFTER THE SPRING BREAK, I
THINK THERE WERE TWO
DIFFERENT WEEKS WHEN WE
HAD SPRING BREAK, SO
MAYBE ANOTHER WEEK OR TWO
BEFORE WE SEE IF THAT WAS
ANY IMPACT OR NOT.
>> Mayor Nirenberg: AND
TO REITERATE, DESPITE
WHAT THE STATE MANDATE
MAY OR MAY NOT SAY, YOU
CAN STILL CHOOSE TO
PROTECT YOURSELF AND YOUR
LOVED ONES BY WEARING A
MASK, AND WE'RE GLAD THAT
A LOT OF PEOPLE ARE, AND
WE'RE GLAD THAT A LOT OF
BUSINESSES CONTINUE TO
REQUIRE THAT AND WE WILL
HELP THOSE BUSINESSES NOW
IN TERMS OF REMOVING
PEOPLE IF THEY DON'T
COMPLY IF THEY HAVE
CHOSEN TO MAKE THAT ONE
OF THE RULES FOR THE
BUSINESSES.
>> Reporter: IS THE
POSITIVITY RATE SOMEWHAT
DISTORTED FROM LOWER
TESTING DURING SPRING
BREAK?
>> I DON'T THINK IT'S
NECESSARILY DISTORTED.
WE HAVE SEEN FEWER TESTS
BEING CONDUCTED, BUT OF
THOSE INDIVIDUALS THAT
ARE GOING TO GET TESTED,
JUST FEWER ARE TURNING
OUT TO BE POSITIVE.
YOU KNOW, IT KIND OF GOES
BACK TO THE REASON WHY
ARE THEY GETTING TESTED?
A LOT OF THE INDIVIDUALS
MAY HAVE SYMPTOMS, BUT
IT'S JUST SHOWING THAT
THE COVID LEVEL RIGHT NOW
IS LOW IN THE COMMUNITY.
>> Reporter: DOES CONTACT
TRACING SHOW THERE ARE
CASES COMING FROM PEOPLE
WHO SAY THEY TRAVELED
DURING SPRING BREAK?
>> SO FAR WE'RE NOT
SEEING THAT IN THE DATA,
THAT THE CONTACT TRACING
IS LEADING BACK TO SPRING
BREAK TRAVEL AS IT DID
LAST YEAR.
LAST YEAR WE KNOW A LOT
OF THE CASES IT STARTED
HAD TO DO WITH TRAVEL DUE
TO SPRING BREAK.
>> Reporter: WHAT IS THE
STATUS OF VACCINATIONS AT
THE ALAMODOME WITH THE
WOMEN'S NCAA CHAMPIONSHIP
TAKING PLACE OVER THE
NEXT COUPLE OF WEEKS.
ARE VACCINATIONS STILL
GOING TO HAPPEN AT THE
ALAMODOME PARKING LOTS?
>> YES.
WE ARE STILL CONTINUING
THE OPERATION, IT IS ALL
OUTDOORS DRIVE THROUGH SO
WE HAVE COLLABORATED WITH
THE NCAA TO MAKE SURE
THOSE OPERATIONS COULD
CONTINUE SMOOTHLY.
>> Reporter: WE'VE NOW
SEEN A YEAR OF COVID
DEATHS IN BEXAR COUNTY AS
OF TODAY.
DO YOU KNOW WHERE THE
COVID RANKS AMONG THE
CAUSES OF DEATH?
>> Mayor Nirenberg: WELL,
I ASKED DR. BRIDGER THAT
QUESTION THE OTHER DAY.
WE, ON AVERAGE, IN A
12-MONTH PERIOD LOSE
ABOUT 3,000 OR SO PEOPLE
TO HEART DISEASE AND
ROUGHLY AROUND THE SAME
TO CANCER, CORRECT, DOC?
SO, YOU KNOW, AGAIN,
THESE NUMBERS ARE WHAT WE
WOULD SEE IN THOSE TWO
LEADING CAUSES OF DEATH.
>> THAT'S CORRECT.