Orange County Judge John Gothia said he hopes a drive-through Covid 19 testing center is set up in the county within the next couple of days. The county has contracted with a medical services company to staff the center.
On Wednesday, the county went up from seven to twelve positive cases. Gothia said the increase included reports from area hospitals on patients.
Gothia spoke Thursday morning to KOGT’s Gary Stelly on the Morning Show. The judge urged people to keep washing their hands and keep at least a six-foot distance from other people.
“The sooner we all cooperate and slow this thing down, the sooner we get out of it,” he said.
Gothia admitted everyone is worried. “It’s a scary time for everyone,” he said.
Wednesday, he met with school superintendents, mayors, city managers, and emergency management directors for the entities. He said the regular meetings keep everyone informed and working together to stop the outbreak.
Gothia is also going back and forth to Beaumont everyday to consult with the six-county group of county judges working together for a regional effort. He said they are trying to follow the orders from Governor Greg Abbott and President Donald Trump.
He said the group is also keeping track with case numbers. Wednesday reports included the death of a Beaumont man age 70-80, the second death in the region. The first regional death was last week of a Hardin-Jefferson school band director.
A regional drive-up testing center was set up March 23 at the Southeast Texas Airport in Nederland. To get a test, someone must first call a medical hotline, 409-550-2536, to be screened. People showing symptoms of Covid 19 are given a test appointment and a number. People without an appointment are turned away.
Gothia told Stelly Thursday the center had 172 calls Wednesday, but he does not have a break-down on how many are from Orange County. The county has been averaging 10 to 12 calls a day, he said. “That number is creeping up,” he said.
The judge said he has been trying to get a test center in the county to make it more accessible. But knowing the results, will not necessarily give you access to medical care.
“If you test positive, you are on your own,” he said. Callers when notifying people of a positive test will tell them what to expect and what over-the-counter medicines to take.
Hospitals are being left for people with “extreme respiratory distress,” he said.
People need to stay at home, but not necessarily inside. Gothia suggested people go for a walk or even boating, if they stay isolated from non-family members and keep a distance.
He pointed out that Governor Abbott’s emergency order listed fishing and hunting as essential for the state, making it exempt from restrictions.
-Margaret Toal, KOGT-
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