Throughout this situation, my office will provide you with updates via email on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays and daily via
Facebook and
Nextdoor.
Here are the latest updates:
- Mayor Nirenberg updated the Declaration of Public Health Emergency to prohibit restaurants and bars from offering dine-in service and to prohibit non-essential businesses from operating, including: bars, lounges, nightclubs, taverns, private clubs, gyms and health studios, indoor commercial amusement businesses, bowling alleys, bingo parlors, and theaters. The declaration lasts 7 days, but City Council can vote to extend it for 30 days.
- The following types of facilities are exempt from this prohibition:
- Grocery stores, shopping malls, outdoor markets or other retail establishments
- San Antonio International Airport
- Public or private schools or child care facilities
- Places of worship
- Funeral homes
- Museums (so long as visitors are generally not within arm’s length of one another for extended periods)
- Spaces where 50 or more persons may be in transit or waiting for transit, such as bus stops
- Office spaces
- Hotels
- Residential buildings
- If you believe you have coronavirus or have been exposed to the virus, please contact your doctor or an urgent care center by phone.
- There are now 25 cases of COVID-19 in Bexar County. 17 of the cases are under investigation. Eight of the cases are travel-related.
- Please continue to practice social distancing, frequent handwashing, and avoid gatherings of ten or more.
- Metro Health also reminds the community that violence increases in times of stress. Those experiencing violence at home are encouraged to make a safety plan and contact the SAPD non-emergency line at 210-207-SAPD. Residents who need shelter should call Family Violence Prevention Services at 210-733-8810. In an emergency, call 911.
- The Alamodome and South Texas Blood & Tissue Center (STBTC), will host a Blood Drive through tomorrow, Thursday, March 19 from 9:00 am to 6:00 pm. This blood drive addresses the City-wide drop in blood donations. The Blood Drive will be open to the public on an appointment only basis. Appointments can be made by calling 210-731-5590 or visiting www.SouthTexasBlood.org.
- Small, minority, and women-owned businesses may qualify for 0% interest loans from between $500 to $100,000 from LiftFund.
- The City compiled a list of critical community needs for individuals looking to help out. The list is below, under the "How You Can Help Your Neighbors" heading.
- The Texas Department of Public Safety extended expiring driver's licenses and ID cards. The extension does not mean that people with revoked or suspended licenses are allowed to drive.
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Local Criteria for COVID-19 Tests
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Metro Health received authority from the State of Texas to exert local control to revise its COVID-19 testing protocol.
This authority allows Metro Health to make testing more accessible and enables them to adjust criteria as needed to adapt to the community conditions.
Previous testing protocols required a person under investigation (PUI) for COVID-19 to have a travel history from China or Iran.
The revised protocol removes travel history requirements from the criteria for testing.
Patients should seek medical care from their primary care physicians or urgent care providers if they do not have a primary care physician. Patients should not contact Metro Health directly to request testing as a health care provider must order the test. Patients should not go to emergency rooms to seek COVID-19 testing.
- Patient shows fever or signs/symptoms of lower respiratory illness such as cough or shortness of breath and the patient has had close contact with a laboratory-confirmed COVID-19
- Patient shows fever and signs/symptoms of a lower respiratory illness and significant respiratory illness, such as the flu, has been ruled out and the patient has risk factors that place them at a high risk of poor health outcomes or the patient is a health care worker or first responder
- Patient shows severe acute respiratory illness such as pneumonia or acute respiratory distress syndrome, which requires hospitalization and has a negative flu diagnosis and no source of COVID-19 exposure has been identified
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Click any of the following buttons for reliable information about COVID-19. Additionally, you can text COSAGOV to 55000 to receive SMS text message updates.
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The following buttons link to community resources should you need any assistance. If you need a service that is not listed below, please contact our office at 210-207-0870 or by email at District7@SanAntonio.gov.
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Additionally, please note the following resources:
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Federally Qualified Clinics
for Uninsured Persons
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How You Can Help Your Neighbors
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Looking for a way to help your neighbors during this time? Here are a few ideas:
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The City has identified the following community volunteer opportunities:
- Consider checking in on your neighbors, especially if they are elderly or have pre-existing medical conditions. Give them a call or send them a text message to let them know you're willing to help if they need it. If you're getting ready to go to the grocery store, consider offering to pick up items they might need.
- Prepare hygiene kits for outreach to homeless persons. Individuals and families experiencing unsheltered homelessness may not have access to COVID-19 information or hygiene supplies. City of San Antonio Homeless Street Outreach Teams will deliver hygiene kits, assess needs, and connect people to services.
- Hygiene kits for the street homeless population are needed. Hygiene kits will include, but are not limited to, the following: hand sanitizer, disinfectant wipes, soap, bottle of water, socks, and snacks. Items may be packaged in plastic grocery bags.
- Hygiene kits can be delivered to your nearest SAPD SAFFE substation. Additional information at: https://www.sanantonio.gov/SAPD/SAFFE
- Deliver meals to out of school children with the San Antonio Food Bank. Work begins with a daily briefing on meals for distribution to Kid’s Cafe sites, appropriate documentation, assistance with kitchen clean-up, prep for next day’s meal and store supplies as needed.
- Contact San Antonio Food Bank Volunteer Services at (210) 431-8388 or volunteer@safoodbank.org
- Deliver food to seniors with San Antonio Food Bank or Meals on Wheels. Many seniors in our community depend on home food delivery while self-distancing. Volunteers are needed to deliver perishable and non-perishable food items to their homes.
- Contact San Antonio Food Bank Volunteer Services at (210) 431-8388 or here.
- Contact Meals on Wheels at samanthaf@mowsatx.org or call (210) 599-7405 ext. 309.
- Volunteer at a mobile food pantry with the San Antonio Food Bank. Qualified clients and vulnerable families depend on food distribution from the San Antonio Food Bank’s Mobile Pantry.
- Volunteers are needed to break down pallets of product, pack bags, collect client vouchers, hand out product, help with traffic control, and clean up. Volunteering is three to four hours. Groups of five to ten volunteers can help distribute groceries where needed.
- Contact San Antonio Food Bank Volunteer Services at 210-431-8388 or here.
- Volunteer as an Elder Friend with Meals on Wheels. Homebound elderly individuals are in need of socialization and friendship.
- Elder Friend volunteers typically serve three hours per week with a home-bound senior and do things such as play games, take a walk, run small errands or go out to eat as advisable.
- Contact Meals on Wheels at samanthaf@mowsatx.org or call 210-599-7405 ext. 309.
- Volunteer with homeless service providers. Volunteers are needed to provide services to individuals and families experiencing homelessness. Volunteers assist with serving meals, sorting clothes, engaging with clients (arts/crafts, singing, etc.) and helping with everyday program operations.
- Contact SARAH Volunteer Registration here.
- Contact Have for Hope Volunteer Opportunities at volunteers@havenforhope.org or 210-220-2549 or here.
- Plan grocery shopping strategically. Major grocers are overwhelmed with urgent shoppers while small grocers are under-shopped.
- To redistribute the crowds, use NextDoor, or other social media, to organize your neighborhood’s shopping days. Note smaller grocers in your area as alternatives. Example: Odd house numbers shop Monday, Wednesday, Friday and even numbers shop Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday. Designate Sundays or a particular time window for elderly shoppers.
- Participate by putting a sign with #taketurns in your window. Use #taketurns to spread the word.
- Volunteer with the San Antonio Food Bank. Individuals and families in the community who rely on food bank commodities, or those who have experienced a sudden loss of income due to layoff or reduction in hours, are in need of food support. Volunteer assistance is needed in the preparation, sorting, boxing and delivery of food to vulnerable members of the community.
- Volunteers are needed at the San Antonio Food Bank Headquarters and citywide.
- Contact San Antonio Food Bank Volunteer Services at 210-431-8388 or here.
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Updates from Local Universities
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District 7 Office Precautions
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During this time, the District 7 Office is continuing to work for you and take the following precautions out of an abundance caution:
- We will remain accessible for your phone calls and emails.
- We will begin calling into neighborhood association and HOA meetings, should you choose to host them.
- We are postponing office events for the time being.
We appreciate your understanding.
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We are accessible for your phone calls and emails
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Brass Professional Center
4414 Centerview Dr, Ste #160
Monday - Friday:
9:00 am - 5:00 pm
Closed for Lunch:
12:00 pm- 1:00 pm
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Plaza de Armas
100 Military Plaza
Monday - Friday:
8:30 am - 4:30 pm
Please call for an appointment.
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