County officials realize recovery
of COVID-19 pandemic will be just as important
(Seguin) — Although it’s fight against COVID-19 remains strong, the fight to recover and transition back into full operation is already talk on the table for Guadalupe County officials. As they await Governor Greg Abbott’s outlined plan to reopen the state, The Guadalupe County Commissioners Court on Tuesday shared their own thoughts and plans for recovery and transitioning back.
Patrick Pinder, the Guadalupe County Emergency Management Officer, says the county is now faced with juggling the two efforts. The first to put a stop to the spread of the virus and the second to begin looking at how reopening will and should look for Guadalupe County.
“In the future, we are kind of waiting on to see what the governor is going to say. That’s kind of what we are waiting on to see what he is going to do to kind of transition everything back. That’s kind of the feel that everyone wants to see — what the governor is going to do so hopefully, this week we will get an idea of what his plans are for getting Texas back to the way it was before COVID-19. Currently, we are working on the recovery side of this. Obviously, we have been geared up and doing the response side. We want to start looking at the reopening side of this and how we are going to work with local jurisdictions, small businesses and kind of encourage the community once we start phasing out of COVID-19 to start getting back out — how we are going to do that? What is that going to look like? Obviously, we don’t want everybody to flood the stores and get back to 100 percent like they were right away — once we lift all these orders,” said Pinder.
Pinder says when the time comes for things to be lifted, it is the county’s responsibility to ensure that safety is the underlying denominator behind all efforts being put into place.
“I want to talk to some of these big businesses, talk to some of these jurisdictions about putting some small restrictions in like not 100 people go into a store, 50 people to go into a store for a week and just kind of gear up and just make sure that we are not flooding the stores and trying to limit the spread of this and keep it low,” said Pinder.
Commissioner Drew Engelke says he is grateful for the county’s efforts to analyze its own efforts and put into place a recovery phase. He says it is a demonstration of control as well as hope.
“I’m just glad to see that we are looking into a recovery phase part of the project here. We are all working together. It’s been an experience for all of us I think. I’ve said it before, the Guadalupe County team, all of you have come together, have worked very well and are patient, have used common sense. I think everybody’s working together through this but it’s really good to see that on your PowerPoint — what you said — light at the end of the tunnel. So, let’s not get excited and overwhelmed about that. We still need to stay the course and follow the social distancing. I still witness people doing that but I do also feel and see a sense of anxiety in people. We are ready to get back to normal but we just need to stay the course a little longer. I think we will be great. Let’s not go backwards. Let’s move forward. Homeschooling is challenge from personal experience. I’ve got a first grader and a fourth grader so again, kudos to those parents, the grandparents anybody who is helping with homeschooling, small business owners, stay the course. We are doing what we can as a community to support you but again, I think in the end, we are all going to be stronger for it,” said Engelke.
Guadalupe County Judge Kyle Kutscher says the key thing for everyone to remember is in order for things to return back to normal, there must first be healing. He says that’s why things such as gloves, masks and social distancing will have to continue strong even into the recovery phase.
“As we try to transition from this, in response to the recovery section, to try to get things back open and transition away from these stay home orders and having more interaction with community members and the public even if it is not required, I think it’s going to be recommended at some point, widespread, for folks as that initial interaction happens to take precautionary measures like wearing masks, wearing gloves — some of those things to help speed up the process because if everybody is reluctant and says ‘well, we just want to go back to normal and jump back into it and be around everybody,’ we could be right back in the same situation in a matter of a few weeks. I think if we do it in a systematic and pragmatic way of opening things back up with governor’s direction, local support, with planned measures that we can get recommendations out to the public to be safe and still practice some of those things, don’t go wild and still go out only for necessary and essential things but like you said, maybe wear a mask when you go out. Nobody is laughing at anybody because they are wearing a mask. Make a point to go out, make your own and get creative and do it as a family and go out. I mean it’s protecting yourself, each other and the more people that do that now, the faster we can have places back open and businesses going on,” said Kutscher.
Kutscher says while he doesn’t think the wearing of mask or other protective wear will be mandated, they will be key to making sure that the spread of COVID-19 doesn’t return for a community. Kutscher says why everyone especially local businesses are hanging on the edge for the governor to roll out his plan for reopening up businesses, he wants the businesses in Guadalupe County to know that they have the county’s full support. Personally, Kutscher is hoping that the governor comes out this week and provides at least a two week transition period for reopening the state. He says because it looks like Texas is entering a plateau of COVID-19 cases, he believes there can really be a planned approach to helping everyone get back on their feet especially the local business community.