WATCH: El Paso city & county officials discuss coronavirus planning
EL PASO, Texas -- El Paso community, emergency and health leaders discussed prevention and preparations for the coronavirus at a press conference Tuesday afternoon at the El Paso Convention Center. (You an watch that entire briefing in the video player above.)
While there are no known cases of Covid-19 in the El Paso area - or in neighboring New Mexico or Ciudad Juarez - at this time, regional leaders gathered to address the status and measures being implemented in light of the continued outbreaks of virus cases throughout the world and in the United States.
Mayor Dee Margo encouraged people to take common sense precautions, like washing hands, and said any future decisions to cancel events or otherwise disrupt community activities would come only after deliberate discussions.
"We're not going to knee-jerk, but we will do whatever is necessary to protect the people of El Paso," the mayor vowed.
Currently, El Paso's public health department has enough coronavirus kits from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control to test 400 patients free of charge, officials said. Additional tests can be requested and received within 24 hours, they added.
Margo said there were protocols in place for doctors and hospitals to screen patients and refer potential cases to the health department for testing. Individuals cannot, without a referral, just come in and request a test on their own.
"We don't want someone with a common cold" tying up testing resources, he explained.
Margo said there were currently "no plans to close the bridges" and the ports would continue to operate. He said the flow of commerce between Juarez and El Paso was critical to the local economy, and indicated that "in the event of a pandemic affecting our community" the city would be in touch with major businesses.
The joint press conference involving city and county officials came following a meeting earlier in the day by El Paso County Commissioners to discuss the coronavirus situation.
"El Paso is always prepared, that's sort of the nature of El Paso," emphasized County Judge Ricardo Samaniego, who has the authority to issue a disaster declaration should it become necessary.
