Houston – It will be more than two weeks at the earliest before health officials know if ending the Stay at Home Order and partial reopening of Harris County businesses spur an increase in COVID-19 cases. Governor Abbott lifted the Stay at Home Order last week on April 30 and allowed some businesses to start reopening the next day, May 1. COVID-19 has a two-week incubation period before people who contract the disease might begin to show symptoms. If they get tested, it can take up to a week to get the results.
To prevent a resurge in cases, Harris County Public Health wants residents to continue: social distancing, wearing masks in public, washing their hands often, disinfecting frequently touched surfaces, covering coughs and sneezes with a tissue and staying home if they are sick. If residents are in a restaurant or business that is too crowded to stay 6 feet from others, Harris County Public Health (HCPH) recommends they leave. This protects them, their family, friends and coworkers.
In addition to continuing theses safety measures, HCPH encourages as many people as possible to get tested. Testing indicates whether COVID-19 is increasing in the community and allows us to limit future cases and deaths by contact tracing. Contact tracers identify the close physical contacts of people with COVID-19 to determine if they are infected and need to be isolated.
Getting free testing is easier now. No specific symptoms are required, people will be tested if they believe they may have been exposed or have COVID-19. You can register online and choose from one of six drive-through testing locations. Take the self-assessment at https://www.readyharris.org or www.hcphtx.org or call 832-927-7575. You must take the assessment before you receive an authorization code for a testing site.
There are two fixed testing sites one in Baytown and one in Katy and 4 mobile sites that change location each week.
The Mobile locations for this week, Tuesday-Saturday May 5-9:
- Gene Green Beltway 8 Park 6500 East Sam Houston Parkway N, Houston, TX 77049
- Jimmy Burke Activity Center 500 W 13thSt. Deer Park, TX 77536
- Lone Star College – Cy Fair 9191 Barker Cypress Rd, Cypress, TX 77433
- Humble Civic Center 8233 Will Clayton Parkway, Humble, TX 77338
Visit www.hcphtx.org for the latest COVID-19 updates, resources and recommendations.
