SAN ANTONIO – Editor’s Note: Watch the entire briefing in the video player above. Newsletter recipients can click here to access the video.
San Antonio Mayor Ron Nirenberg and Bexar County Judge Nelson Wolff updated the community about the local response to COVID-19 in their daily briefing Wednesday night.
Nirenberg reported 60,034 total COVID-19 cases and 1,207 total deaths in Bexar County, as of Wednesday, an increase of 132 new cases. No new deaths were reported today.
The 7-day moving average of cases is 126.
City officials also reported that 193 patients are hospitalized, 80 are in the intensive care unit and 39 are on ventilators. There are 13% of staffed beds available and 71% of ventilators available.
During the brief, Wolff said the remaining bars that have not reopened as restaurants would be able to reopen at 50% capacity by sometime next week. He said there are about 3,000 bars in the community, and about 425 of them have not reopened as restaurants.
Bexar County Judge will allow bars to open, following task force’s recommendation
Wolff said he would file the new emergency order and TABC paperwork on Thursday. He said the guidelines the bars will have to follow are similar to those of the Texas Department of State Health Services. The guidelines in the new order will apply to the bars that are not selling food.
Officials say an executive order with more details is expected to be released by Thursday.
The county also issued the following statement in a news release:
“Furthermore, to assist bars with reopening, on Tuesday, October 20, 2020, a Bexar County Restaurant and Beverage COVID-19 Grant Program will be presented to Commissioners Court. Approximately, $3 million in grants for restaurants and bars impacted by COVID-19 will be made available. Locally owned restaurants and bars with up to $5M in annual gross revenue and up to 60 full/part time employees only will be able to apply for grants of up to $25,000. Applications will be accepted starting on October 26, 2020.”
See the COVID-19 Community Response Coalition’s Policy & Health Alerts workgroup recommendations memo below (click here if you cannot see it):
MORE CORONAVIRUS COVERAGE FROM KSAT: