News

The Woodlands Township COVID-19 Update April 20

By The Woodlands Township | April 20, 2020

The Woodlands Township shared the following COVID-19 updates on Monday, April 20:

The Woodlands Township Board of Directors to Hold Videoconference Meeting
The Woodlands Township Board of Directors will hold a Regular Board of Directors Meeting via videoconference this Wednesday, April 22, 2020 with a scheduled time to begin at 6 p.m. Central Daylight Time. The meeting can be viewed online at https://www.thewoodlandstownship-tx.gov/778/Meeting-Videos.

Participation by members of the public in open meetings of the Board of Directors is welcomed and encouraged, he said. A “public comment” agenda item is included at the beginning of all regular Board meeting agendas. During the April 22, 2020, videoconference Board meeting, members of the public may provide public comment by calling 877-853-5247 (toll-free), then enter ID 970 0438 8500 #. Calls will be taken in the order the calls are received and only during the “public comment” agenda item. This phone number is active only for the April 22, 2020 Board meeting. New phone numbers will be issued for each future meeting during the public health pandemic emergency.

Today’s County News

Montgomery County COVID-19 Case Count
Montgomery County Public Health District, in conjunction with Montgomery County Office of Homeland Security and Emergency Management, can confirm there are now 393 total positive cases of COVID-19, up 16 cases from Saturday. It is important that all Montgomery County residents are abiding by the statewide stay-at-home order issued by Governor Greg Abbott. As testing becomes more available, it is expected to see a continued rise in COVID-19 cases.

Details on individual cases can be found here: https://mcphd-tx.org/coronavirus-covid-19/confirmed-cases/.

Montgomery County Office of Emergency Management updates a dashboard for the cases here: https://coronavirus-response-moco.hub.arcgis.com/.

4/20/2020 update: We can confirm there are now 393 total positive cases of COVID-19, up 16 cases from Saturday. It is…
Posted by Montgomery County Public Health on Monday, April 20, 2020

Updated COVID-19 graphics with a total of 393 positive cases as of 3 p.m. today.
Posted by Commissioner James Noack- Montgomery County Precinct Three on Monday, April 20, 2020

Testing in Montgomery County
A testing site at Lone Star Health Center in Conroe at the South 336 Loop is open. Montgomery County has had great difficulty in getting testing supplies from state and federal resources. As a result, the decision was made to place the testing site at Lone Star due to their access to existing private testing supplies that could be augmented by resources the county does get. Plans are being considered to open a testing site in southern Montgomery County as more testing supplies become available.

If you would like to be tested, please call the MCHD/MCPHD COVID-19 Hotline at 936-523-5040. The MCHD/MCPHD staff will work with you to find a testing center.

Harris County COVID-19 Case Count
As of April 20, 2020 (4:00 p.m.), Harris County Public Health (HCPH) has 87 new cases of COVID-19, which brings the total to 2,049 positive cases. HCPH is also confirming that 812 of its patients have recovered. There have been 44 total deaths of COVID-19 in Harris County. None of these numbers include the City of Houston. A full description of the numbers can be found here: https://tinyurl.com/tzymvk5

Cases by zip code in Harris County can be found here by clicking on areas of the map: https://harriscounty.maps.arcgis.com/apps/opsdashboard/index.html#/31370c72d3844e6b962fcf8490718821

The Village of Creekside Park is location in two zip codes: 77375 and 77389 and these also include Magnolia, Augusta Pines/Auburn Lakes/West Rayford Road in northwest Harris County. Today, Harris County is reporting zip code 77375 has 32 cases and 77389 has 26 cases.

Announcements from Harris County and City of Houston, April 20, 2020

Harris County

Judge Hidalgo announced that Texas State Representative Armando Walle will serve as her Coronavirus Recovery Czar. Representative Walle did not give any major details as to how Harris County will proceed during his acceptance of this new role.

City of Houston

Houston reported 107 new positive cases today. This brings the city’s total to 2,923. Houston reported no new fatalities associated with COVID-19.
Mayor Turner named Marvin Odom, former Shell Oil president and Houston Chief Recovery Office for Hurricane Harvey, as the city’s recovery leader.
Mayor Turner made several references to metrics/conditions that Houston would have to ensure before considering reopening significant portions of its economy.
- The mayor indicated that robust, widespread testing and contract tracing would be necessary before reopening could take place.
- The city is currently testing about 1,000 individuals per day. The mayor indicated testing of 3,000-5,000 per day would be required.
- Houston would need to have strategies and plans in place for adjusting restrictions in case of negative trends.
- Houston would need to identify how to protect its most at-risk populations. In previous comments, the mayor has reiterated that at-risk includes socio-economic conditions.
- Houston will amend its resiliency and recovery plans to include how to respond to the next pandemic viral attack. This effort will follow as the mayor’s task force prioritizes the planning for reopening.

Harris County Public Health Encourages Residents to Get Tested for COVID-19

Residents now have more options to get tested
Harris County Public Health (HCPH) encourages all residents to take advantage of the increased testing capability, complete the online screening and get tested at any drive thru sites or mobile testing locations. HCPH has expanded the total COVID-19 testing capacity to 1,200 test per day, including two mobile testing locations scheduled across the county.

HCPH is prioritizing COVID-19 testing to first responders and healthcare professionals (especially those who work with vulnerable populations such as nursing homes) with or without symptoms, but anyone who thinks they may have COVID-19 can get tested. “We recognize those serving on the front lines as a healthcare professional, first responder or law enforcement need to get tested,” said Umair A. Shah, MD, MPH Local Health Authority and HCPH Executive Director. “The best way to serve our community is to protect the very people who are protecting us in this fight against COVID-19.”

To get tested, all residents must complete an online screening (available at www.readyharris.org or at www.hcphtx.org), obtain an authorization code and call the nurse triage line. Once confirmed they meet the criteria for testing, residents will be directed to a testing site closest to them. Residents without access to a computer or Internet can call the HCPH resource center directly at 832-927-7575 for assistance.

To date, there are close to 5,000 confirmed cases of COVID-19 in Houston/Harris County and 75 deaths. While 80% of individuals who contract COVID-19 will have mild to moderate symptoms and fully recover, they may spread the disease to people who are at high risk. The elderly and people with underlying health conditions or weakened immune systems are at much higher risk for developing serious complications from COVID-19.

HCPH continues to urge residents to remain home, practice social distancing and follow everyday precautionary measures. If you must leave your home, maintain a physical distance of six feet or more from others. HCPH data dashboard will continue to provide updates daily.

To protect the privacy of our residents and not discourage others from getting tested for COVID-19, Harris County Public Health asks that members of the media do not show up to testing sites and film during hours of operation.

For updates on COVID-19, including health tips, case counts and other community resources, visit www.hcphtx.org.

Two Mobile Testing Sites in Precinct 4 Harris County
Harris County Public Health opened the first testing site in Tomball on Tuesday, April 14, 2020. That site will perform testing on registered visitors from April 14-16, 2020, and April 27-29, 2020.

A second Public Health testing site will open in Humble on Monday, April 20, 2020. The Humble location will test registered visitors from April 20-22, 2020, and May 7-9, 2020.

The addresses of the sites will be provided to those successfully completing their registration, but will otherwise remain undisclosed to discourage unregistered visitors. Unregistered visitors will not be tested and will be turned away by security officials.

To determine whether you should be tested for COVID-19, please visit https://checkforcorona.com/harris-county#/welcome. Those deemed to be at risk for coronavirus will be given a code and phone number to call. After a telephone consultation, those still deemed to be at risk will be given another unique code and information on where and when they are to be tested. Those assigned for testing should bring a photo ID and any other information requested by the phone screener. Walk-ins will not be tested.

Those with questions may call Harris County Public Health at 832-927-7575 for more information.

Township News

Trash and Recycling Service Update
Parking on the street is sometimes necessary, especially now that many of us are home during the day during this time. However, to ensure uninterrupted service for you and your neighbors, please avoid parking on the street on your trash day. If a service or contractor truck is due to visit your home on your trash day, please notify the company and ask that they park in your driveway or in an area where they are not obstructing passage.

Help Our Heroes, Monday, April 20, 2020
A steady flow of items have been donated to the Central Fire Station. Over 85 groups have donated to the project since its inception on April 6, 2020. Please consider donating materials if you have them on-hand. Your help is greatly appreciated! Collection Days and Locations areMondays and Thursdays from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., at Central Fire Station, located at 9951 Grogan’s Mill Rd., The Woodlands, TX 77380. Please email pbuck@thewoodlandstownship-tx.gov if you can help.

Supplies Needed:
Isolation gowns
Gloves
Masks – N95s, surgical, procedure, etc.
Hair Covers
Full Face Shields
PAPR Hoods – Typically only used when doing an aerosolizing procedure.
Eyewear – Face shields, reusable goggles or disposable glasses
Boot Covers / Shoe Covers
Germicidal Wipes
Disinfectant Spray / Paper Towels

Experience The Woodlands with Safe Social Distancing
Looking to try new restaurants or shops while social distancing? Save this passport to your phone and check off these “destinations” as you support dining and shopping options in The Woodlands. You can visit these destinations by making purchases from local stores and ordering from area restaurants. Post your progress to encourage your friends and neighbors to participate. Snap photos of your food and purchases and be sure to share them on social media, tagging the business and using #SoWoodlands.

Virtual Puzzles from Visit The Woodlands
Visit The Woodlands has created a few virtual puzzles to help you to pass the time. Take a look and challenge your friends and family to see who can get the best time! Is there a Woodlands scene that you’d like to see be made into a puzzle? Let us know!

Gardening with Children: Easy Strategies During Social Distancing
With the extra time created by social distancing, gardening is an activity that children of all ages can enjoy. Here are a few tips to get you started with minimal supplies and minimal cost.

Numerous resources are available in the community for support. These vary from food banks to financial assistance and much more. Please visit the link below to find more information about resources in the community related to COVID-19: https://thewoodlandstownship-tx.gov/1491/Community-Resources.

Mobile Market Food Drive at the YMCA
The Woodlands Family YMCA will host a mobile market in the Shadowbend YMCA parking lot, 6145 Shadowbend Place, on Saturday, April 25, 2020, from 10 a.m. to noon. Boxes of food will be loaded into patron’s cars by volunteers and Y Staff. Each family will receive fresh produce, dry/canned goods, frozen meat and breads/desserts. Distribution of food will be on a first come, first serve basis with enough food to serve 200 families. Social distancing guidelines will be strictly enforced. If you are an individual or organization that would like to partner with the Y to support these efforts, please email CommunityCare@ymcahouston.org. For more information on Montgomery County Food Bank, please visit https://mcfoodbank.org/.

The Township’s Coronavirus page
The Woodlands Township’s special COVID-19 information page can be found at www.thewoodlandstownship-tx.gov/covid19. This page features Montgomery and Harris county Hubs, community resources and updated COVID-19 news from the Federal Government and the CDC. This page also includes the latest news from The Township, updates from partner agencies, social distancing strategies, important links, frequently asked questions, live Twitter feeds and more.

Hotlines for health questions and COVID-19