HOUSTON — H-E-B is standing for Houston and standing for Texas with its plan to deliver more than 75,000 meals to healthcare workers across the state.
Each week for the next five weeks, H-E-B plans to deliver Meal Simple meals to doctors, nurses and other healthcare workers on the frontlines in the fight against COVID-19.
“We’re all extremely grateful for the dedication of our healthcare workers who are saving lives and making personal sacrifices for others,” said Winell Herron, H-E-B Group Vice President of Public Affairs, Diversity and Environmental Affairs. “We want to express some well-deserved appreciation and hope these meals will provide a bit of comfort during these trying times.”
The $350,000 donation in meals is part of H-E-B’s $3 million commitment to help local nonprofits providing relief to some of the most vulnerable seniors, children and low-income families. As part of the commitment, H-E-B has donated more than $1.2 million and nearly 40 truckloads of food and household supplies to food banks, $1 million to grassroots nonprofits, $500,000 to organizations mobilizing home feeding services for seniors and low-income families and $300,000 to assist Texas Biomedical Research Institute in San Antonio with a team dedicated to coronavirus research.
H-E-B also has its Texans Helping Texans checkstand donation campaign that gives customers the opportunity to support United Way, Meals on Wheels and Feeding Texas.
Coronavirus symptoms
The symptoms of coronavirus can be similar to the flu or a bad cold. Symptoms include a fever, cough and shortness of breath, according to the Centers for Disease Control. Some patients also have nausea, body aches, headaches and stomach issues. Losing your sense of taste and/or smell can also be an early warning sign.
Most healthy people will have mild symptoms. A study of more than 72,000 patients by the Centers for Disease Control in China showed 80 percent of the cases there were mild.
But infections can cause pneumonia, severe acute respiratory syndrome, kidney failure and even death, according to the World Health Organization. Older people with underlying health conditions are most at risk for becoming seriously ill. However, U.S. experts are seeing a significant number of younger people being hospitalized, including some in ICU.
The CDC believes symptoms may appear anywhere from two to 14 days after being exposed.
Human coronaviruses are usually spread through...
- The air by coughing or sneezing
- Close personal contact, such as touching or shaking hands
- Touching an object or surface with the virus on it, then touching your mouth, nose or eyes before washing your hands.
Help stop the spread of coronavirus
- Stay home when you are sick.
- Eat and sleep separately from your family members
- Use different utensils and dishes
- Cover your cough or sneeze with your arm, not your hand.
- If you use a tissue, throw it in the trash.
- Follow social distancing
Lower your risk
- Wash your hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds. If soap and water are not available, use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer.
- Avoid touching your eyes, nose, and mouth with unwashed hands.
- Avoid close contact with people who are sick.
- Clean and disinfect frequently touched objects and surfaces.
- If you are 60 or over and have an underlying health condition such as cardiovascular disease, diabetes or respiratory illnesses like asthma or COPD, the World Health Organization advises you to try to avoid crowds or places where you might interact with people who are sick.
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