SAN ANGELO, Texas — The City of San Angelo's Public Information Office has provided an update for City affairs regarding the COVID-19 pandemic.
As of 2 p.m. Tuesday, 184 COVID-19 tests have been administered, with 69 negative tests, 114 pending and one confirmed case.
*Hair salons, nail salons and tattoo parlors are required to close by 8 a.m. Wednesday, Tuesday's release said. The order will be effective through midnight April 3 but may be continued beyond that date.
Concho Valley Council of Governments (CVCOG)
For information regarding available services in the area, dial 2-1-1, 24 hours a day, seven days a week, to be connected with an information specialist. After selecting your language option, press 1 to for local community resources, press 2 for state benefits (SNAP, Medicaid, TANF), or press 6 to be connected to an information specialist for more information on COVID-19.
Please note that the 211 Texas network is experiencing extremely high call volumes, so wait times are longer than usual.
To submit questions online, visit cvcog.org/cvcog/ and click on “Make a Referral.” A staff member will return the call within 48 hours.
Vitalant (formerly United Blood Services)
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) encourages people who are well to continue to donate blood as it is an essential activity, even amidst COVID-19 response measures.
Vitalant’s blood supply is at a dangerously LOW level. As many mobile blood drives have canceled, Vitalant has extended its donation center hours:
Vitalant Donation Center, 2020 W. Beauregard Ave, in San Angelo
10 a.m. to 8 p.m. Monday–Thursday
8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Friday and Saturday
8 a.m. to 12:3.0 p.m. Sunday, March 29
"If you are healthy and at least 16 years old, now more than ever, your blood donation is needed.
Vitalant has taken additional measures to ensure donor safety. Regulated by the FDA, safety is always at the forefront of blood donation for donors, recipients and staff.
We are doing the following to keep donors and staff safe:
- We are spacing chairs three feet apart in waiting and donation areas (and, where possible, six feet), per guidance from the World Health Organization and the CDC.
- We may ask donors to leave a mobile phone number and wait in their car until they are called.
- We are discouraging other visitors from entering.
- Our safety protocols include wearing gloves and wiping down donor-touched and other high-touch areas often and after each collection."
Additional safety precautions include donor temperature pre-screening with temperature taken prior to entering the facility (if in excess of 99.5, donor will not be allowed to enter and donate); hand-washing of blankets used by some during donation - we are asking donors to bring their own blankets. Once we receive the disposable drapes for the blankets, that will be implemented.
In these difficult times, giving blood is something healthy individuals can do to help the sick. The only source for blood – literally in many hospital procedures, the source of life – is another human being. Hospital patients need people to donate blood today, while following guidance from the CDC and other agencies.
Vitalant is urging sponsors to continue organizing blood drives and individuals to continue to donate. Blood drives at schools, churches, community groups and businesses represent more than 60% of the nations’ blood supply. These events are critical to health care in our country.
If you would like to organize a community blood drive, please contact Linda Grace with Vitalant at 325-223-7500.
To schedule an appointment to donate or for more information, call 877-258-4825.
We deeply appreciate those who support the critical public health need of a safe and available blood supply.
Concho Valley ER
"We would like to participate in the community effort to decrease COVID-19 spread. We offer 24/7 emergency care in a lower risk environment. We do not participate in Medicare/Medicaid, but Tricare and most private insurances. Any non-COVID emergencies can come to our facility and have very low risk exposure to COVID, thus decreasing community spread. For more information, call 325-703-6900."
ASU-SBDC
From Dave Erickson, Director, ASU Small Business Development Center
"Please help our local businesses by purchasing from them in any way you can. Many have changed their operations to accommodate the crisis. Along with their remaining employees, they are making sacrifices and working hard to continue operations. They are being creative and innovative like great entrepreneurs. Continue purchasing from them if you can. Visit the ones who are open or shop online. For restaurants, order takeout or delivery to-go if you are able.
Remember, this will pass and we need a robust local business community to rebuild our local economy.
We know this is an extremely difficult time for our small businesses; many are experiencing severe shortfalls in revenue due to the crisis causing a severe cash crunch, which causes them to make very difficult decisions with staffing knowing the effect it will have on their dedicated employees. They have to make difficult decisions regarding their operations. The following are some things for you to consider as a small business owner that you may do to help your situation if you have not done so already:
- Decide on your short-term operations. Decide on what type of business you will conduct during the short term. (Ex. limited hours, takeout and delivery only, focus on certain customers, etc.) It is different for every type of business. Be flexible and make changes as things develop. Have your employees help you in this. They can be a great source of ideas, inspiration and energy during this time of crisis.
- Decide how you will communicate your new operations to your customers and any new customers. Social media is an excellent way to push out your messages. Businesses with social media accounts are encouraged to post information and updates daily. Traditional media is willing to help to get your message out in this situation.
- Use your mentor network. Besides the SBDC business advisors and economic development partners, contact your group of other small business owners to see what they are doing. You can offer them ideas, as well.
- In order to stabilize cash, consider cutting the expenses you need to cut, make the difficult decisions now with the eye of knowing it is a short-term situation and things will get back to normal over time.
- In order to inject cash quickest, consider applying for a SBA Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL) at disasterloan.sba.gov/ela. It is the quickest way I know of to get cash if you qualify. While it may be the quickest, it is still a three to four week process from the time the SBA receives the application. The SBDC business advisors can assist you with this process. Call them at 325-942-2098 or sbdc@angelo.edu.
- Discuss your situation with your lender and CPA. They need to know the situation you are in. They may be able to provide assistance. Lenders can offer workouts and deferments on exiting loans or offer other financial help. CPAs can assist by guiding you financially through the crisis and assist with the SBA EIDL loan application since they have your financial information. The ASU SBDC knows of other sources of loans that may work. There are no known viable grants.
- Rally your remaining employees around your new operation. As mentioned before, they can provide ideas, inspiration and energy.
Please contact us if we can help in any way at 325-942-2098 or sbdc@angelo.edu or David.erickson@angelo.edu.
