Houston area officially exceeds hospitalization threshold causing reopening

HOUSTON The Houston area on Tuesday officially exceeded the threshold for hospitalization resulting in a return to the area, and the state sent letters to magistrates informing them of the requirement.

Data from the Texas Department of State Health Services shows that coronavirus-related hospitalizations in Trauma Service Area Q, which includes Harris, Fort Bend and Montgomery counties, were above 15% for seven consecutive days. This leads to a provision of the reopening order of the Texas government, Greg Abbott, which, among other things, requires bars to close and restaurants to reduce capacity to 50%.

KPRC 2 received copies of the letters sent to the judges in the nine provinces that are part of TSA Q. You can read them below.

A DSHS spokesman said the order would take effect immediately.

It would be the same refunds introduced in Galveston and Brazoria provinces, which is in Trauma Service Area R, just before Christmas.

Harris County Judge Lina Hidalgo said she expected the numbers to push the region over the threshold on Tuesday.

“This is a wake-up call for us,” Hidalgo said.

The judge said people should take the situation seriously and take action to change the trajectory of the numbers. She said this means that people should wear their masks, stay at home as much as possible, wash their hands, avoid gatherings and have them tested.

“Each of us knows the exercise,” Hidalgo said. “We’ve done it before. We have to do it again. ”

Bar owners worry about survival

One bar-turn restaurant in north Houston, Mel’s Place, said it should drop to 50% capacity would be devastating for their small business, which is already struggling to get by.

Pamela Hillhouse, who owns Mel’s Place on Airline Drive, said she had to use more money to get a license and products to serve food.

“You have to buy the equipment to cook with – all of that – it was just difficult,” Hillhouse said.

Stella Birchfield, the chief bartender at Mel’s Place, said she preferred to retire from her other job and worked at the bar for years, taking care of regular customers.

“This is my home place. I came from the province and this is my place where I have all my people here – my family. It just means a lot to me, ‘said Birchfield.

Karla Webb, owner of Stafford Ice House, in Milford, Fort Bend County, said her business has been in the family for 27 years.

“We’re all owned and run by women,” Webb said.

The business is known as the “friendliest bar in town” and serves many famous faces.

“Our customers are important to us; “They are our family, so we do not want them to get sick, and we are talking about what our protocol is,” Webb said.

Webb decides not to close despite the order because she and her employees depend on the company to survive.

‘We will not survive another closure because the bills do not stop. You still have to pay your bills, ”Webb said.

Webb said they will continue their efforts to keep customers safe.

“Customers are safer here than in the grocery store,” Webb said.

You can watch a repeat of Hidalgo’s news conference below: