COVID-19 Crisis – Multifamily
Redoubling Efforts in Houston
Houston Raises Covid-19 Virus Alert Level
As leaders in the apartment industry, the team at Better World Properties LLC continues to share news we feel valuable to our apartment residents, multifamily owners and investors, other apartment managers and community leaders at large. We reach out to you on a Saturday to keep you informed so you can continue to make educated decisions to best serve your communities and your families.
As you are no doubt aware, Coronavirus COVID-19 cases in Houston have spiked dramatically over the past 10 days. As we have noted before, the biggest concern is the number of people requiring hospitalization and the potential to inundate intensive care bed capacity. While our local Houston ICU systems have capacity, at the rapid rate cases are rising, limits could exceed capacity if we all do not collectively and responsibly act to minimize new viral infections. If hospitals become overrun, more people than necessary may die.
On June 26th, the Harris County Public Health Department (HCPH) raised the Current Level of Risk for Harris County for the 2019 Novel Coronavirus (COVID-19) from Level 2 to Level 1.
Harris County Public Health (HCPH) is the county health department for Harris County and provides comprehensive health services and programs to the community through a workforce of approximately 700 public health professionals – all dedicated to improving the health and well-being of Harris County residents and the communities in which they live, learn, work, worship, and play. The HCPH jurisdiction included approximately 2.3 million people and over 30 other municipalities located in Harris County (not including the city of Houston).
Per the current HCPH directive, Level 1 signifies a severe and uncontrolled level of COVID-19 in Harris County, meaning outbreaks are present and worsening and that testing and contact tracing capacity is strained or exceeded. At this level, residents take action to minimize contacts with others wherever possible and avoid leaving home except for the most essential needs like going to the grocery store for food and medicine.
Regardless of current level indicated, all residents should continue the use of social distancing, frequent hand washing, and the use of face coverings until there is a vaccine or a treatment for the virus. Additionally, residents exposed to COVID-19 should quarantine for 14 days regardless of level indicated.
You can read more about the Harris County Covid-19 Threat Level System by clicking here.
Texas Governor Adjusts Accordingly
Texas Governor Greg Abbott adjusted restaurant capacity limits and bars have been temporary closed in an effort to reduce rapid spread of the virus. Group gatherings are being limited. Rivers have been closed to tubing and rafting.
The Texas Medical Center Helps Guide
The Texas Medical Center has been consistently providing statistics and working hard in the fight against Covid-19. Click here for latest statistics on the infection rate in the Greater Houston area.
ICU’s Have Capacity
According to communityimpact.com, despite reports of the Texas Medical Center’s base intensive care unit capacity at its limits, medical center leadership assured the public in a virtual news conference June 25 that it had surge plans in place to meet the rising need to treat COVID-19 patients.
The Texas Medical Center reports that to quell fears about intensive care unit (ICU) availability, the Texas Hospital Association (THA) released a statement reporting that hospitals throughout the state are prepared for an influx of COVID-19 patients and can offer “substantial” capacity in the case of a surge.
What We Can Do
We all know by now that social distancing, hand washing and face covers can make a difference. Please encourage all apartment residents and those within your own circles of influence to continue using these best practices.
We are also reminded that we must look after our individual foundational health as well. We can do this by exercising, eating right, reducing stress and seek medical attention for other health concerns so that we maintain our innate healthy immune systems.
We are all tired of this, but now is the time to redouble our efforts to protect ourselves and those we love.
This weekend, if you are not on duty, we ask you to join us in staying home, avoiding social activities and limiting interaction with those outside of your immediate family circles.
Together we can beat this and get back to a better world.
Your Better World Properties LLC Team
(713) 559-6975