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- Only 394 intensive care beds and 8,280 hospital beds are currently available in Texas.
- Abbott said last week it would not impose blockades or mask warrants, despite increases in COVID-19 cases.
- State health and emergency services have been tasked by Abbott to open additional antibody infusion centers.
Governor Greg Abbott announced in an Aug. 9 press release that he would bring in out-of-state medical personnel to health facilities in Texas to assist with COVID-19 operations. Abbott also sent a letter to the Texas Hospital Association asking hospitals to voluntarily limit certain elective medical procedures.
Data as of Aug. 9 from the Texas Department of Health and Human Services shows that there are only 394 intensive care beds and 8,280 hospital beds available statewide.
A trauma service area that serves 2.37 million people, including the city of Austin, has only six intensive care beds available.
In Houston, both hospitals in the Harris County Health System have seen an influx of COVID-19 patients in recent weeks, forcing them to set up overflow tents for additional patients, CNN reported.
Last week, Abbott said it would not impose any lockdowns or mask warrants, even though Texas has reported the second highest number of new COVID-19 cases in the country. Abbott’s decisions contradict guidelines from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, which were revised July 27 to recommend that fully vaccinated people wear masks in indoor public places.
“The State of Texas is taking action to combat the recent increase in COVID-19 cases and ensure our hospitals and communities have the resources and support they need to mitigate the virus,” Abbott said in the press release. “Texans can help bolster our efforts by getting vaccinated against COVID-19. The COVID-19 vaccine is safe and effective, and it is our best defense against this virus.
Under Senate Bill 968, the state legislature can compel the Texas Medical Board (TMB) to temporarily impose limited elective medical procedures in which the delay will not result in death or deterioration of the condition. of the patient. However, Abbott said in the press release that the state should “always aim to find the least restrictive means of combating this evolving threat to public health.”
Additionally, Abbott has encouraged hospitals to refer some COVID-19 patients to infusion sites to free up hospital beds for more severe cases. Infusion centers are treating COVID-19 patients who do not need to be hospitalized with therapeutic drugs that can prevent their condition from worsening, increasing hospital resources available for critically ill patients, according to the press release .
The Texas Department of State Health Services and the Texas Emergency Management Division were instructed by Abbott in a letter to step up vaccination efforts and work with local authorities to open additional infusion centers.
“By taking these voluntary steps, I hope hospitals can avoid the need for a TMB order under Senate Bill 968.”
Insider has contacted Governor Abbott’s office for comment.
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