TRAFFIC
TRAFFIC HITTING THE ROADWAY THERE.
THERE.
THERE. AND IN FORT WORTH A PROBLEM.
WE WILL CHECK ON THAT IN MY
NEXT HIT.
NEXT HIT.
NEXT HIT. >> THANK YOU, HA+@NNAH.
>>> YOU HAVE BEEN HEARING US
SAY IT EVERY NEWSCAST, NORTH
TEXAS HOSPITALS AREOVER
+@
TEXAS HOSPITALS AREOVER FLOWING WITH PATIENTS FIGHTING
THE VIRUS BUT IF YOU ARE
THINKING IT MAY NOT DIRECTLY
IMPACT YOU, EVERY BED TAKEN UP
BY PATIENTS IS A BED THAT COULD
ARE BEEN USED FOR OTHER
PATIENTS.
PATIENTS.
PATIENTS. IF THE NUMBERS DO+@N'T CHANGE
TODAY, GOVERNOR GREG ABBOTT MAY
BE CHANGING RESTRICTIONS ON
BUSINESSES.
BUSINESSES. WHAT THIS MEANS AND WHY WE ARE
+@WATCH ING THE NUMBER+@S CLOSE
>> Reporter: RIGHT NOW
RESTAURANTS HERE IN DOWNTOWN
FORT WORTH AND ALL OVER NORTH
TEXAS ARE PREPARING TO OPEN FOR
THE DAY, BUT
UNFORTUNATELY THEY ARE ALSO
PREPARING FOR BAD NEWS.
THAT IS BECAUSE FOR SIX
CONSECUTIVE DAYS MORE THAN 15%
OF NORTH TEXAS HOSPITAL BEDS
HAVE BEE+@N FULL OF PATIENTS
FIGHTING COVID-19.
FIGHTING COVID-19. IF THOSE NUMBERS HOLD TODAY,
THE GOVERNOR'S ORDER WOULD
REQUIRE NORTH TEXAS COUNTIES TO
ROLL RESTAURANTS BACK FROM 75%
TO 50% CAPACITY AND FORCE BARS
TO CLOSE.
TO CLOSE.
TO CLOSE. HOWEVER, SOME 2,800 BARS THAT
HAVE REOPENED RECENTLY AS
RESTAURANTS WOULD BE ALLOWED
TO STAY OPEN AS REDUCED
CAPACITY.
CAPACITY.
CAPACITY. DALLAS COUNTY JUDGE CLAY
JENKINS SAYS THE ROLLBACK
COULD GO INTO EFFECT THIS
WEEKEND AND WITLY SAYS
BUSINESSES SHOULD START
PREPARING BUSINESSES NOW.
IS
IS THE
IS THE ROLLBACK WOULD BE UNTIL
HOSPITALIZATIONS+@ ARE AT OR
BELOW 15% FOR SEVEN CONSECUTIVE
DAYS.
DAYS.
DAYS. BUSINESSES THAT DON'T COMPLY TO
THE LOWERING OF 50% RATES COULD
FACE A F+@INE AND OTHER
REGULA+@TORY CONSEQU+@ENCES.
REGULA+@TORY CONSEQU+@ENCES. THIS IS ALL IN AN EFFORT TO
CURVE THE RISING COVID-19
NUMBERS, BUT IT IS IMPORTANT TO
NOTE THAT AREAS AROUND EL PASO,
AMARILLO AND LUBBOCK
UNFORTUNATELY ARE SEEING THEIR
NUMBERS CONTINUE TO RISE.
KARA, BACK TO YOU.
>> I WILL TAKE IT, ERIC.
CERT+@AINLY WHEN IT COMES TO
THESE ROLL BACKS WE ARE LOOKING
FORWARD TO NOT HAVING TO TALK
ABOUT IT AT ALL, YOU CAN GO OUT
WITHOUT A MASK, DON'T HAVE TO
WORRY+@ ABOUT GETTING SOMEBODY
ELSE SICK.
ELSE SICK. THAT IS WHY THE VACCINES ARE SO
IMPORTANT.
IMPORTANT. >>> IN LESS THAN TWO WEEKS THE
STATE SAYS WE WILL GET 1. 5
MILLION DOSES.
MILLION DOSES. THE SHIPMENT OF 224,000 IS
EXPECTED TO ARRIVE THE WEEK OF
DECEMBER 14.
DECEMBER 14. THIS FIRST IN LINE ARE HEALTH
CARE WORKERS AND NORTH TEXAS
+@RESIDENTS . MORE SHIPMENTS O
THE VACCINE ARE EXPECTED TO
AR+@RIVE IN JANUARY AND THE
FOLLOWING MONTH.
FOLLOWING MONTH. A GROUP NOT +@INCLUDED IN THAT
FIRST ROUND OF DOSES --
TEACHERS.
TEACHERS.
TEACHERS. SHOULD THEY BE?
THAT IS OUR +@QUESTION FOR YOU
THIS MORNING.
THIS MORNING. DO YOU THINK TEACHERS SHOULD
BE CONSIDERED ESSENTIAL WORKERS
WHEN IT COMES TO THE VACCINE
PRIORITIES?
PRIORITIES? YOU CAN WEIGH IN ON
WFAA.COM/VO+@TENOW OR USING OU
APP.
APP.
APP. ARIEL PLASENCIA, ONE
SUPERINTENDENT IS REALLY
PUSHING FOR THIS IDEA.
WHAT IS 24 ABOUT?
>> Reporter: YES, MARC.
THIS IS THE SUPERINTENDENT OF
FORT WORTH ISD WE ARE TALKING
ABOUT THIS MORNING.
LET ME START WITH THIS.
HE WANTS TO BE ABSOLUTELY
CLEAR.
CLEAR.
CLEAR. HE
CLEAR. HE BELIEVES HEALTH CARE WORKERS
SHOULD BE PRIORITIZED FIRST, AT
THE SAME TIME HE DOESN'T WANT
FULL STAFF TO BE OVERLOOKED.
THAT+@ IS WHY HE SENT THIS LETT
TO GOVERNOR GREG ABBOTT, ASKING
THAT SCHOOL STAFF BE INCLUDED
IN THE DISTRIBUTION OF THE
CO+@RONAVIRUS VACCINE.
CO+@RONAVIRUS VACCINE. HE SENT THE LETTER ON BACK+@ OF
+@
HE SENT THE LETTER ON BACK+@ OF NOT JUST FORT WORTH ISD, BUT
DALLAS, AUSTIN, HOUSTON AND SAN
ANTONIO ISD.
ANTONIO ISD. THE FIRST IN LINE AS MARC
MENTIONED WILL BE HECK WORKERS
AND L+@ONG TERM CARE STAFF
WORKING DIRECTLY WITH
VULNERABLE RESIDENTS.
VULNERABLE RESIDENTS. BUT EDUCATORS AND OTHER STAFF
ARE NO WHERE TO BE FOUND IN THE
RELEASE.
RELEASE.
RELEASE. >> ALL EDUCATORS REALIZE THE +@
FACE-TO-FACE INSTRUCTION IS BY
FAR THE MOST EFFECTIVE.
THE SITUATION WE ARE IN RIGHT
NOW WITH THIS PANDEMIC IS NOT
THE SAFEST AT ALL
>> Reporter: THE GOVERNOR HAS
NOT