Golden Villa participated in the state-wide testing mandated by Governor Abbott on Monday. All staff and residents were tested for COVID-19. There are no known active cases.
Picture of the guys lined up from left to right: First Lieutenant Wisniewski, Lieutenant Colonel Becker, Ray Chapman-facility administrator, Don Horn HHSC, Chris Shoemate, EMT Regional emergency response.
All Texas nursing home residents, staff to be tested for COVID-19
Governor Greg Abbott directed the Texas Health and Human Services Commission (HHSC), the Texas Division of Emergency Management (TDEM), and the Texas Department of State Health Services (DSHS) last Monday to test 100% of residents and staff in Texas nursing homes. The Governor instructed HHSC, TDEM, and DSHS to develop and implement a plan based on the guidance of Vice President Mike Pence and Doctor Deborah Birx.
“The State of Texas is working to rapidly expand our testing capacity—especially among vulnerable populations in Texas nursing homes,” said Governor Abbott. “This important collaboration among HHSC, TDEM, and DSHS will ensure that any potential clusters of COVID-19 cases in nursing homes are quickly detected and contained.”
Abbott announced last Wednesday that the Texas National Guard has activated Facilities Disinfection Teams to support Texans in nursing homes and to help limit the spread of COVID-19. These Facilities Disinfection Teams, formed in coordination with Texas Health and Human Services Commission (HHSC), provide a major boost to protecting Texans and limiting the spread of COVID-19. Six teams have already been mobilized to facilities across the state with more coming online.
“The Texas National Guard plays a crucial role in our ongoing response to COVID-19, and I am grateful for their work to address the unique challenges our nursing homes face during this pandemic,” said Governor Abbott. “The training these Guardsmen have received will equip them with the knowledge and tools they need to provide this crucial assistance to these facilities.”
“The Texas National Guard readily accepts this newest mission assignment,” said Major General Tracy Norris. “We take our charge of protecting all Texans, especially our most vulnerable populations, extremely seriously. Our service members have proactively trained for this mission alongside the Health and Human Services Commission and other partner agencies. We stand ready to continue to serve both here at home and abroad in the war fight.”
These Facilities Disinfection Teams consist of Guardsmen from Joint Task Force 176, and each team is equipped with unique supplies such as advanced personal protective equipment, ionized sprayers, and vital oxide.
The teams received training from the Texas Military Department 6th Civil Support Team, who specialize in man-made and natural disaster assessment and rapid response in hazardous environments.
The Texas National Guard is currently supporting the fight against COVID-19 in Texas by providing personal protective equipment manufacturing support, food bank support, mobile COVID-19 testing, and points of distribution for essential items.