The Woodlands Township COVID-19 Update, Monday, May 18, 2020

THE WOODLANDS, TX -- Township opening more facilities
The Woodlands Township Board of Directors held a Special Board of Directors Meeting via videoconference on Thursday, May 14, 2020 and opened more amenities and facilities. The Board of Directors approved opening dog parks, basketball courts and more. View the press release online. Learn more about what’s opening in the Township.

State News
Governor Abbott’s Executive Order May 18, 2020

Texas has spend the last several weeks ramping up adequate supplies of PPE and continuing to build and protect hospital capacity.
Over the first half of May, the state doubled the number of all tests administered in March and April combined.
More than 25,000 tests are being administered statewide on a daily basis
More than 600 testing sites throughout the state
7 day rolling average of positive cases still continues to decline and is currently ~5%. Yesterday the state had fewer hospitalizations than any single day since April 15.
Surge Response Teams still working to stop the spread in nursing homes, jails and meat packing facilities. Surge teams are in Amarillo and the surrounding area addressing the local hot spot that has developed.
Read the full Order for Phase Two Openings and more.

County News
Hand Sanitizer from Harris County Pct. 4
On Tuesday, May 19, 2020, Harris County Pct. 4 Commissioner Cagle’s office is partnering with their community partners to bring free hand sanitizer! Bottles of hand sanitizer (32 oz) will be distributed at The Recreation Center at Rob Fleming Park to Woodlands’ constituents, beginning at 9 a.m. until supplies are gone. Curbside delivery and walk-ups welcome. Limit one (1) bottle per family.

COVID-19 Testing Sites
Three COVID-19 drive-thru testing sites are now open in Walmart parking lots. The sites are supported by Walmart, eTrueNorth and state and local officials to test anyone who meets CDC and state and local guidelines on who should be tested. Those interested in being tested need to visit www.DoINeedaCOVID19test.com to see if eligible for testing and to make an appointment. For more information including dates, times, address and more, please read the press release.

America’s ER was selected and contracted by the Montgomery County Hospital District (MCHD) and the Montgomery County Public Health Department (MCPHD) to provide COVID-19 testing for up to 12,000 Montgomery county residents at America’s ER’s drive-through testing facilities. Please read the press release for more information.

Montgomery County COVID-19 Case Count
Montgomery County Public Health District, in conjunction with Montgomery County Office of Homeland Security and Emergency Management, confirms the number of ACTIVE cases of COVID-19 has increased to 521 today. That number includes 58 hospitalizations. 278 people have fully recovered. The number of total positive cases has increased 19 since Friday to 817.

There is also a new partner in the MCHD/MCPHD COVID-19 testing voucher program. Those who wish to be tested can do so at a new location starting today. Woodlands Functional Family Medicine is located at 8000 McBeth Way, Suite 190 in The Woodlands. Residents will have to make an appointment at this location and Lone Star Family Health Center. Appointments are NOT required at America’s ER. See below for more information on testing sites.

Key points of the program:

Vouchers are only for Montgomery County residents.
You may only receive 1 test through the voucher program.
Obtain vouchers by calling 936-523-5040, M-F 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
Vouchers, if unused, expire in 5 days.
The testing site is solely responsible for notifying you of results.
Test locations for those with symptoms include:

America’s ER Drive-Thru Testing Site @ Woods Edge Community Church
25333 Gosling Rd.
Spring, TX 77389

Lone Star Family Health Center
605 S. Conroe Medical Dr.
Conroe, TX 77304

Woodlands Functional Family Medicine
8000 McBeth Way, Suite 190
The Woodlands, TX 77382

Test location for those without symptoms:

America’s ER Drive-Thru Testing Site @ Woods Edge Community Church
25333 Gosling Rd.
Spring, TX 77389

Woodlands Functional Family Medicine
8000 McBeth Way, Suite 190
The Woodlands, TX 77382

For questions, please call 936-523-5040.

As previously mentioned, reporting results have merged and will only be reported on the following dashboard here: https://coronavirus-response-moco.hub.arcgis.com/.

Harris County COVID-19 Case Count
As of May 18, 2020 (4 p.m.), Harris County Public Health (HCPH) has 3,840 positive cases (1,341 active cases). HCPH is also confirming that 2,409 of its patients have recovered. There have been 90 total deaths of COVID-19 in Harris County. None of these numbers include the City of Houston. A full description of the numbers can be found here: https://tinyurl.com/tzymvk5.

Cases by zip code in Harris County can be found here by clicking on areas of the map.

The Village of Creekside Park is located in two zip codes: 77375 and 77389 and these also include Magnolia, Augusta Pines/Auburn Lakes/West Rayford Road in northwest Harris County. Today, Harris County is reporting zip code 77375 has 72 cases and 77389 has 45 cases.

National News
First Tropical Storm of 2020
Tropical Storm Arthur is the first named storm of 2020, but poses no threat to Texas. While Tropical Storm Arthur will not impact Texas, we are ramping up to the start of Hurricane Season. All residents should get a kit, make a plan and stay informed on tropical weather. Read the ReadyHarris alert for more information on hurricane safety and visit the Township website for the hurricane preparedness checklist.

Coronavirus Testing Basics
You’ve probably heard a lot about coronavirus testing recently. There are two different types of tests – diagnostic tests and antibody tests. A diagnostic test can show if you have an active coronavirus infection and should take steps to quarantine or isolate yourself from others. An antibody test looks for antibodies that are made by the immune system in response to a threat, such as a specific virus. Learn more about the different types of tests and the steps involved.

Township News
Commute with Confidence: A Special Edition Brown Bag Webinar
The Township will be participating in a webinar hosted by the Houston-Galveston Area Council about the status of commuter transportation in the region, sharing what area transportation providers are doing to make the journey safer and what commuters can do to help keep them­selves safe in their plan for a return to work. View the flyer for more information and the registration link.

#TownshipTogether
Send us your photos! The Woodlands Township is calling on residents to share images of inspiration within the community. These can be a photo of something seen in the neighborhood, a family project or anything with a positive message. These will be shared through the Township email updates, social media channels and on The Woodlands Township website. Send your photos to TownshipTogether@thewoodlandstownship-tx.gov.

Thinking About a Home Improvement?
Applications for improvements are being reviewed and acted on by Township Covenant Administration staff. Applications can be mailed or submitted online. Please visit www.thewoodlandstownship-tx.gov/covenants for additional information.

Applications can be mailed to:
The Woodlands Township
2801 Technology Forest Blvd.
The Woodlands, Texas 77381

Or submitted online to: covad@thewoodlandstownship-tx.gov

Application forms and any other additional requirements for review and submittal can be found on the website: https://www.thewoodlandstownship-tx.gov/148/Application-Forms.

Did You Know?
Residents have the opportunity to help make decisions that affect home improvements. Committee members are elected yearly for Residential Design Review Committees and the Development Standards Committees. Please visit www.thewoodlandstownship-tx.gov/covenants for more information.

Around the Township
Open Stores in The Woodlands Mall
The Woodlands Mall reopened on Tuesday, May 5, 2020. The mall will be open Monday through Saturday from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m., and on Sunday from noon to 6 p.m. Visit their website for the list of currently open stores, safety measures and curbside pickup options.

The Woodlands Farmer’s Market
The Woodlands Farmer’s Market is currently closed, but is re-opening May 23, 2020, this weekend! Customers are encouraged to check the website, Facebook page or newsletter for definite details including phases in which the market will open, participating vendors, and best practices for visitors.

Open Hotels in The Woodlands
Many of The Woodlands hotel properties are open and ready to welcome you to their location. Get excited for the reopening of The Woodlands Resort on May 20, 2020. Find all the details on the website. Below is a list of all open hotels in The Woodlands at this time. Be sure to stay up to date by viewing Visit The Woodlands online.

Best Western Plus
Candlewood Suites
Drury Inn The Woodlands
Hilton Garden Inn
Hyatt Place
Residence Inn Lakefront Drive
Residence Inn Market Street
Meet In The Woodlands, From Home
Since we are all getting together virtually while we stay at home, we thought we would bring a bit of The Woodlands to you! Try out one of our Visit The Woodlands Zoom backgrounds for your next business meeting or your next virtual family get together. It’s a great way to share The Woodlands with coworkers, family and friends! You can choose from several beautiful Zoom backdrops of The Woodlands.

Community Resources
Numerous resources are available in the community for support. These vary from food banks to financial assistance and much more. Please visit the link below to find more information about resources in the community related to COVID-19: http://thewoodlandstownship-tx.gov/1491/Community-Resources.

The Township’s Coronavirus page
The Woodlands Township’s special COVID-19 information page can be found at www.thewoodlandstownship-tx.gov/covid19. This page features Montgomery and Harris county Hubs, community resources and updated COVID-19 news from the Federal Government and the CDC. This page also includes the latest news from The Township, updates from partner agencies, social distancing strategies, important links, frequently asked questions, live Twitter feeds and more.

You Can Help Save Lives!
Gulf Coast Regional Blood Drive
Tuesday, May 26, 2020
10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Legacy Ballroom at The Woodlands Country Club
www.giveblood.org

Mosaics of Mercy
Mosaics of Mercy is a non-profit that serves as a hub for resources for mental well-being. The organization stays current on the available mental health resources for our community, including the status of treatment programs, counselors seeing clients through telehealth, and virtual support groups.

More information can be found at www.mosaicsofmercy.com. Help is available Monday - Friday from 9 am - 5 pm at 346-703-0051 for personal assistance navigating resources. There are current resources listed at https://mosaicsofmercy.com/coronavirus/. New episodes of the Hope Pieced Together podcast are released weekly, interviewing local professionals on topics related to mental well-being for this period. https://mosaicsofmercy.com/hope-pieced-together/.

Hotlines for health questions and COVID-19

Montgomery County: 936-523-5040
Harris County: 713-634-1110
Statewide Mental Health Support Line: 833-986-1919
Free Self-Screening Tool for COVID-19
Visit the self-screening tool on the CDC website: https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/index.html.

Tracking COVID-19: Local, Regionally, Nationally, Internationally
Below are the widgets for tracking COVID19.

Montgomery County
Texas Counties Statewide
Texas Department of Health and Human Services Case Counts
Global Cases