by Sahar Chmais
In the haze of panic shopping, toilet paper, chicken, rice, beans, frozen and canned goods are getting plucked from the shelves moments after they are stocked. President Donald Trump has declared COVID-19 a national emergency and the World Health Organization declared it a pandemic.
Counties and cities with confirmed COVID-19 patients are tailoring their daily lives to fit the necessities of their residents, but even those without confirmed cases are beginning to take precautions.
So what is Hays County doing to help deter the spread of the virus?
National Pi Day, the beloved annual Kyle event, has been cancelled as a precautionary measure from the spread of COVID-19.
Although Hays has not confirmed any COVID-19 cases, the county is taking proactive measures to slow down or stop the spread of the virus.
One patient has been presumed to have the virus and has been tested for it, results are not in yet. The patient will be put under self-quarantine at home until they are fever-free for 48 hours without the use of fever-reducing medication. At no time did they expose any Hays County residents to this disease, officials said.
Updates on COVID-19 are being posted on Facebook pages and city websites.
The city of Kyle coordinated with Hays officials to create an update video on protocols the city is taking and how to reduce the spread of illness. The video is available on The city of Kyle’s Facebook page.
Mayor Travis Mitchell stressed the point of calamity and said “I want to encourage the residents of Kyle to stay calm, we understand the info is coming to you 100 miles an hour from every conceivable source.”
Due to this large surge of information, some fact and some fake, the city made a webpage that will help citizens figure out which news about the virus and their city is correct. The page is www.cityofkyle.com/covid.
They have encouraged citizens to stay home if they feel ill or experience mild symptoms of fever and cough, which are the most commonly experienced side-effects of the virus. If the citizens are at risk or over 60, they said it is best to go visit a physician.
The city of Buda is cancelling or postponing city-sponsored events coming up in the next month. Three major events getting cancelled include the Buda Area Census Count Shindig, Buda Trash-Off and the Easter Egg Hunt.
Mayor George Haehn posted on the city’s Facebook page saying that although there are no confirmed cases in the county, Hays County Health Officials do expect to eventually see positive tests in the community.
Haehn also asked that the citizens not panic, but urged them to try to reduce the risk of spreading the virus by avoiding large crowds, washing their hands and following the CDC guidelines.
“There is no need to stockpile supplies. For those worried about empty grocery store shelves, these supplies will be replenished by grocers and retailers.”
Some parents are worried about what actions schools plan to take. Tim Savoy, Chief Communication Officer for Hays CISD, has been in and out of meetings trying to figure out the next steps to take.
Superintendent Eric Wright posted a note on the school district’s website attempting to reassure parents about the measures.
“As we begin our spring break,” Wright wrote, “I want you to know that your school district leadership team will continue to monitor the coronavirus situation and work in close collaboration with local and state officials and other school districts in the area. We will continue to make decisions and preparations for a variety of possible outcomes.”
Savoy said that they are unsure whether Spring Break will be extended, but their decision will be publicized on Friday.
Parents have utilized the Q&A feature. One person asked what the meal plan is in case of closure.
“The district is actively working on plans to continue to provide meals to students in a safe manner in the event that school closure occurs in the future.”
Esperanza Orosco, President of the Hays CISD Board addressed the nutrition issue. She said the child nutrition system will be rolling out a food plan for students who receive free and reduced breakfast and lunch. HaysHope2Go is also open for public help where they have provided a wish list to provide further aid. They will utilize volunteers to put food out for students in need, so if you have any questions or would like to connect with the page, message them through their Facebook page.
The county will continue to attend meetings with the state and with other boards within the county’s cities to keep their residents updated on information and protocols.
