SAN ANGELO, Texas — Three San Angelo hotels are stepping up to provide shelter for COVID-19 positive patients who no longer require hospital treatment, but do not want to risk going home and spreading the virus.
"Since the pandemic has started, we've been working with the hospitals and local hotels back in April and May for the idea that if we needed an area for overflow capacity, we could utilize, or contract out, or partnership with our local hotels and have a place for these people to go," Brian Groves, City of San Angelo Public Information Officer, said.
The partnership between the City of San Angelo and these hotels - whose names will remain confidential - was announced Tuesday. Patients must receive a referral from Shannon or Community medical centers in order to stay at one of the partnered hotels, according to Groves.
"This will provide some overflow capacity for Shannon and Community to have those patients leave the hospital and go somewhere else and free up some beds for people that need them," Groves said.
Groves said COVID-19 patients will be required to stay in their hotel rooms at all times.
"The hotels will have designated areas for those patients. They won't be mixed in with other guests, they will be monitored, and they won't be permitted to leave their rooms. Basically, they'll be confined to their room for a little while, that way they're not mixing with other people at the hotels and things like that," he said.
Groves said he does not know whether or not patients have already begun staying in these hotels, but he did say the City has received calls from patients who are looking for a place to stay.
"I'm happy that we're able to, as a city and as a community, provide this service for everyone," he said.
