COVID-19 E-News

A Message from the Executive Director

As you are aware, we are currently under an order, issued by County Judge Lina Hidalgo to stay home and work safe, through April 3. After the order was issued on March 24, a number of governmental entities including the District, asked for clarification of the definition of an essential business as landscaping and ROW maintenance services were not considered essential. We want to update you that the County has now agreed that all District services are considered essential. This means that our vendors who provide graffiti and litter abatement, ROW maintenance, and bandit sign removal, can continue to operate with the following enhanced procedures to protect the public and their workers.

Staggered arrival times for crews to minimize human-to-human interaction and encourage social distancing, beginning at 6AM. Crews will return to warehouse in the same order they arrived.
Zero human-to-human contact in the field. If contact needs to be made with a property owner, the crew member will call supervisor to reach owner by phone or e-mail.
Monitoring the health of all employees. Crew members will report any and all illness symptoms to supervisor and will be asked to quarantine in the event of illness.
Use of available PPE, including gloves, masks, googles, and suits.
Routine sanitation of equipment, vehicles, and warehouse space (including locks, door handles, and common areas).
Crew members will report any and all incidents of contact to supervisor.

The order did NOT apply to our Public Safety efforts through the Harris County Sheriff’s Office. We remain committed to assisting our law enforcement partners in doing all we can to protect and serve our businesses, neighborhoods and do our part to keep the community safe. You can contact the Harris County Sheriff’s Office non-emergency number at (713) 221-6000. Remember to always call 9-1-1 in case of an emergency.

Staff will continue to work remotely and the district offices will remain closed until April 3, or until further guidance is provided by the Federal, State or local governments. You may contact District staff as follows:

David Hawes, Executive Director, [email protected]
Richard Cantu, Deputy Executive Director, 832-392-2547 or [email protected]
Brian Burks, Deputy Executive Director/Public Safety, 832-851-0406 or[email protected]
Veronica Sanches, Director of Services, 832-677-0139 or [email protected]
Nataly Perez, District Assistant, 832-942-2909 or [email protected]

We sincerely hope that you, your families, and your businesses are doing well as you navigate these uncertain times. These are uncharted waters for us all but we know that together, we can and will weather the pandemic, and be even stronger going forward.

David Hawes, Executive Director

BUSINESS NEWS
Support your local Businesses!

Calling All Businesses
Just a friendly reminder to keep checking back on a regular basis with the SBA on their COVID-19 small businesses loan resources as they update policies and procedures in light of the President signing the $2.2 trillion coronavirus stimulus package on March 27.

As the COVID-19 pandemic continues to unfold, we encourage employers, job seekers, and those who need assistance with childcare, to visit the Teas Workforce Commission to see the benefits that they may be eligible for.

FAMILY NEWS

New Aldine ISD Services
Aldine ISD is offering – New Curbside Meal Pickup and at home learning site with added Performing Arts.

The Houston Food Bank
The Houston Food Bank and its Partners are also providing food and other essential services and they remain operational, while utilizing the best available safety precautions to protect their works, volunteers, and the public they serve. If you need help or want to donate or volunteer, please visit Houston Food Bank.

Harris County Pct. 2 Senior Resources
Precinct 2 is continuing their homebound meals program. If you know if a senior that needs help with meals, please call our call center at 713-274-2490 available Monday thru Friday from 8am to 4pm.

Non-emergency medical transportation — 713-696-1991 (elderly and disabled demand response trips for medical apts.).

RIDES Program— 713-368-7433 (elderly and disabled demand response trips not just medical).

Housing and Community Resource Center (referrals to community resources including housing, food and basic needs) 832-927-4955.

Emergency Utility Assistance (utility assistance for disconnects for low-income households — below 80% area median income) 713-696-7900 (phone appointments only at this time).

MEDICAL NEWS

American Diabetes Association shares news on State Emergency Prescription Refills What You Need to Know

Emergency prescription refill laws and regulations vary widely state-by-state. Typically, an emergency prescription refill is defined as dispensing a prescribed drug without practitioner authorization, and often defers to the pharmacist’s professional judgment, especially if the prescription drug is essential to the maintenance of the patient’s life or continuation of therapy.

We’re created a state-by-state listing of emergency prescription refill rules, details how to prepare your medications for an emergency and health insurance providers response to COVID-19. NOTE: Insurer coverage for refills vary, call your health insurance provider for their policy during a State of Emergency.

We will update this information regularly as new information comes in. Updated: 3/24/2020

WAVIER RULES BY STATE – CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD.
HOW TO PREPARE YOUR MEDS FOR EMERGENCIES LIKE COVID-19 – DETAILS HERE.
HEALTH INSURANCE PROVIDERS ACTIVATING EMERGENCY PLANS IN RESPONSE TO COVID-19 – DETAILS HERE (AHIP BLOG).

For further details, Healthcare Ready advises people to follow their local health department on social media for postings on waivers. You can check your local Board of Pharmacy website for more information, and call your local pharmacy and health insurer for updates.

The DDRC will provide updates as the COVID-19 situation continues to evolve. Comprised of the nation’s leading diabetes organizations, our priority is the health and safety of the diabetes community in times of emergency. If you have questions or need additional support, please call 1-800-DIABETES from 9:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. ET, Monday through Friday. For more information on the DDRC, visit us at www.diabetesdisasterresponse.org.

MEDIA UPDATES

President Trump Issues Major Disaster Declaration for Texas in Response to COVID-19

President Donald Trump has issued a major disaster declaration for Texas in response to the outbreak of COVID-19, the disease caused by the novel coronavirus. The order enables the state and local governments to receive federal funding to support medical and safety efforts.

Texas Gov. Greg Abbott made the announcement on Twitter yesterday afternoon after sending the Trump administration a formal request on Monday, March 23. At the time the letter was submitted, Abbott identified 352 confirmed cases of COVID-19 in Texas and noted that the state has already spent more than $50 million in response to the crisis.

Abbott also noted that the Texas Department of State Health Services had declared a COVID-19 a “public health disaster,” the first time such a label had been issued in Texas in more than 100 years.

Numbers vary as to the current number of cases, as the state has launched a new system for reporting COVID-19. But data released by Johns Hopkins University on the morning of Thursday, March 26 puts the number of confirmed cases at roughly 1,300.

GET PHYSICAL – For Free

There are child-friendly yoga poses and workouts on this YouTube kid’s app.

YMCA of Greater Houston has closed all locations but is offering virtual workouts.

And, the parks in the community are open for walking, jogging and bike riding! Visit Keith-Wiess Park, Bill Crowley, James Driver or the walking trail at the East Aldine Town Center to stay healthy and fit!