HOUSTON — We are continuing to track the latest headlines and updates regarding the global coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic.
Houston Mayor Sylvester Turner announced today he has tested negative for COVID-19. Several city staffers were tested following recent revelations that Councilmember Letitia Plummer tested positive for the virus. Get the latest updates and top headlines in our live blog below.
Today's top headlines
- How Lina Hidalgo is navigating coronavirus and conservative backlash in Texas’ biggest county
- Need a job? City of Houston hosting two virtual job fairs today
- Virus whistleblower warns lawmakers that US lacks vaccine plan
- Triple threat: Houston dealing with pandemic, economy sand safety
- 'I would not let your child out in public': A mom's warning
- Will the Houston rodeo return for 2021 season?
- Deputies near Houston arrest suspect accused of stealing stimulus check
Get the latest COVID-19 headlines anytime by texting FACTS to 713-526-1111 or checking khou.com/coronavirus
The latest COVID-19 numbers
As of Thursday morning: There are 4,369,410 million confirmed cases worldwide. There are 297,491 deaths reported worldwide with about 84,000 deaths in the U.S., according to Johns Hopkins at this time. As of its latest update, Texas Health and Human Services reports 42,403 COVID-19 cases in the state with 1,158 deaths. There are 8,621 confirmed cases in Houston and Harris County with 188 known deaths reported as of the May 12 update.
Thursday's COVID-19 updates
Here are the latest updates from around the Houston area and the world (all times are Central/Houston time):
MAY 14 8:07 p.m. — Good news for graduating seniors in Fort Bend County. The district is planning to host outdoor graduation ceremonies at Kenneth Hall Stadium from June 1-6. See the schedule for all high schools here.
MAY 14 7:47 p.m. — Another free food giveaway is planned this Saturday at NRG Stadium. Houston ISD and the Houston Food Bank are teaming up again to give out 8,500 meals. The event will be held from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. in the yellow lot, weather permitting. Read more here.
MAY 14 6:38 p.m. — Protesting your property tax appraisal? You're not the only one. KHOU 11 Investigates found that in Harris County there's a 47% spike in protests from this time last year. "I have not seen protests jump at this level," said Harris County Chief Appraiser Roland Altinger, who's been with the agency for 32 years. Read more here.
MAY 14 5:30 p.m. — Bad news for beef lovers. Brisket prices are skyrocketing during the coronavirus pandemic, with prices for choice briskets rising from $1.65 to $3.33 a pound.
MAY 14 4:50 p.m. — The Houston Museum of Natural Science is reopening Friday after closing for nearly two months due to the coronavirus. Museum officials said they're opening safely and with social distancing measures in place. Only 1,000 people will be allowed inside the museum.
"We're working hard so no crowds build up," said Sumners. "You come in one open space and leave out another open space. All staff wear masks. We all get our temperature taken if we're an employee. The rest is up to you."
MAY 14 4:40 p.m. — Art Howe, one of the more popular Astros from the 1970s and 1980s, is in the hospital with COVID-19. KHOU’s Matt Musil spoke Howe, who is in the ICU. Howe, 73, told Musil that he tested positive last Tuesday and eventually the symptoms got so bad that he went to the hospital.
MAY 14 4:05 p.m. — More Houston area commuters will be able to ride METRO to work beginning Monday, May 18. Limited service on select Park & Ride routes will resume connecting riders traveling along all major freeway corridors to downtown.
A complete list of the schedules can be found by clicking this link.
Park & Ride - Downtown Destinations
Service will operate from 5- 9 a.m. for inbound trips and from 3- 7 p.m. for outbound trips.
Buses are scheduled to pick up passengers approximately every 15 minutes, with the exception of 236 Maxey/ Baytown which will run every 30 minutes.
There will be no midday or late night service.
Customers should allow extra time for travel as the buses may make more stops than usual.
Park & Ride - Texas Medical Center
Park and Ride routes serving the Texas Medical Center will continue operating on a regular weekday schedule. METRO continues to encourage riders to use public transit for only essential trips.
MAY 14 2:50 p.m. — The World Petroleum Congress, a major oil and gas conference slated to be held in December in Houston, has been postponed, organizers announced today. The conference, which organizers say is like the "Olympics" of the industry, is being rescheduled for Dec. 5-9, 2021.
"While we are disappointed the World Petroleum Congress has been postponed until December 2021,w e fully support the decision to delay the forum in light of the health and safety concerns stemming from COVID-19. We will continue working closely with local officials and the World Petroleum Congress in the coming months to host a safe and very sustainable event next year," said Bob Harvey, president and CEO of the Greater Houston Partnership.
MAY 14 10:50 a.m. — Update from the City of Houston about Mayor Sylvester Turner | "Mayor Sylvester Turner announced today that he tested negative for COVID-19.
The mayor, some members of his staff, and several city council members got tested on Tuesday following revelations that Councilmember Letitia Plummer tested positive for the virus.
"I encourage Houstonians to get tested. It is a quick process, and it does not matter if you have symptoms or are asymptomatic. The results will help you take better control of your health during the pandemic," Mayor Turner said. "While my test result was negative, I will continue to practice social distancing and wear a face covering to do my part to stop the virus from spreading in our community."
The Houston Health Department and partner agencies offer several free COVID-19 test sites throughout the city, with some relocating weekly. To find a current list of free Houston testing sites, visit HoustonEmergency.org/covid19."
MAY 14 10:50 a.m. — Virtual job fair in Houston today. Here's the info from the City of Houston | "The Houston Health Department will host two virtual job fairs this week to increase its workforce to monitor and contain COVID-19.
The Houston Together Virtual Job Fairs take place Thursday, May 14 at 11 a.m. and 1 p.m. on Microsoft Teams. People interested in participating should visit the City of Houston Human Resources careers web page Thursday morning to find links to join the virtual events."
MAY 14 10:32 a.m. — Virus whistleblower tells lawmakers US lacks vaccine plan | The U.S. immunologist who says he lost his government job because he warned the Trump administration to prepare for the coronavirus pandemic isn't backing off his bleak forecast. Dr. Rick Bright is telling Congress that America faces the “darkest winter in modern history” unless its leaders act decisively to prevent a rebound of the coronavirus. Bright appeared Thursday before the House Energy and Commerce Committee. In prepared testimony, Bright says failing to develop a national coordinated response, based in science, could mean the pandemic will get far worse and cause unprecedented illness and fatalities. President Donald Trump has called Bright “a disgruntled employee." (AP)
MAY 14 10:30 a.m. — As coronavirus rolls on, Republicans hit 'pause' on new aid | Businesses are going belly up. Tens of millions have been laid off. And there are fears about a depression. But Republicans surveying the wreckage aren’t ready for another round of coronavirus aid, and they instead are urging a “pause.” Polls show GOP voters think the government is already doing enough, and Republicans on Capitol Hill are divided over the best approach. Billions approved by Congress have yet to be spent. And it’s unclear what President Donald Trump wants to do next, if anything, to help the economy. For these and other reasons, GOP leaders see an unfolding crisis that doesn't yet cry out for further action. (AP)
MAY 14 8:57 a.m. — How Lina Hidalgo is navigating coronavirus and conservative backlash in Texas’ biggest county | On March 1, before Harris County reported its first confirmed case of the coronavirus but as the disease was already infiltrating America’s biggest cities, Harris County Judge Lina Hidalgo made a call to ground zero. Read the full story from The Texas Tribune here.
MAY 14 8:45 a.m. — Texas attorney general asks state Supreme Court to step into fight over voting by mail | From The Texas Tribune: In a bit of judicial leapfrog, Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton is asking the Texas Supreme Court to weigh in on his interpretation of how voters can qualify for absentee ballots during the coronavirus pandemic. Read the full story here.
MAY 14 8:17 a.m. — French company backtracks after saying US would get vaccine first | French pharmaceutical group Sanofi ensured Thursday that it would make its COVID-19 vaccine, when ready, available in all countries, hours after the company's CEO said the United States will get first access. Sanofi CEO Paul Hudson's comments prompted an angry reaction from the French government. Read more here.
MAY 14 7:45 a.m. — Tyson cuts some beef prices as coronavirus spikes grocery store costs | Tyson Foods is lowering some prices on certain products this week after coronavirus closures at meatpacking plants led to a surge in meat costs, the company confirmed to multiple media outlets. CNN and the Wall Street Journal said the company plans to lower prices for ground beef, roasts and other beef products by as much as 20 to 30 percent for sales to grocery stores, restaurants and other customers. The drop in prices is expected to last through Saturday. Read more here.
MAY 14 7:41 a.m. — Total layoffs rise to 36 million since coronavirus hit | Nearly 3 million laid-off workers applied for U.S. unemployment benefits last week as the viral outbreak led more companies to slash jobs even though most states have begun to let some businesses reopen under certain restrictions. Roughly 36 million people have now filed for jobless aid in the two months since the coronavirus first forced millions of businesses to close their doors and shrink their workforces, the Labor Department said Thursday. (AP) Read more
MAY 14 7:12 a.m. — Houston mom 'draws up' support for essential workers | As Texas opens up bit by bit, things are returning to normal for those who were able to stay home. But essential workers didn’t have that privilege. One Houston mom got creative to thank them. Robyn Goldstein is an attorney and mom who happens to have studied graphic design in undergrad. Read more and watch the story here
MAY 14 6:52 a.m. — HCSO Sgt. Raymond Scholwinski to be laid to rest today in Humble | Harris County Deputy Sgt. Raymond Scholwinski will be laid to rest today in Humble. Scholwinski, 70, died last week after a battle with coronavirus. Read more here.
MAY 14 6:25 a.m. — NY brothers who survived Holocaust die weeks apart | Joe Feingold, 97, died April 15 from COVID-19 complications at the same hospital where his brother Alex, 95, succumbed to pneumonia on March 17. Read more here.
MAY 14 6:14 a.m. — Study ties Affordable Care Act to fewer cancer deaths in some states | Cancer deaths have dropped more in states that expanded Medicaid coverage under the Affordable Care Act than in states that did not, new research reveals. The report Wednesday is the first evidence tying cancer survival to the health care change, which began in 2014 after the law known as “Obamacare” took full effect, said one study leader, Dr. Anna Lee of Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center in New York. Read more here.
MAY 14 5 a.m. — 'I would not let your child out in public': Mom's warning as child suffers from rare inflammatory syndrome.. read the full AP story out of NY state here.
MAY 14 4:47 a.m. — Authorities north of Houston say a suspected mail thief has been arrested, and in his possession was one of the recent stimulus checks that went out for SSI recipients. Read more about the arrest here.
MAY 14 4:04 a.m. — President Trump to name former pharmaceutical executive as vaccine czar | President Donald Trump is set to name a former pharmaceutical executive to lead his administration's all-out effort to produce and distribute a coronavirus vaccine by the end of the year. Moncef Slaoui, a former GlaxoSmithKline executive, will lead “Operation Warp Speed,” Trump's push to accelerate the vaccine development process for COVID-19, according to an administration official. Slaoui is to serve in a volunteer capacity and will be assisted by Army Gen. Gustave Perna, the commander of United States Army Materiel Command. (AP) Read more here
Wednesday's updates follow:
MAY 14 11 p.m. — 'Almost impossible': Social distancing on Bolivar Peninsula for Go Topless Jeep Weekend poses problems for law enforcement | Thousands of partiers are expected to pack the sand of Crystal Beach on the Bolivar Peninsula this weekend for the annual Go Topless Jeep Weekend event, according to Galveston County officials. Authorities are planning for a crowd as large as in 2019. Read more here.
MAY 14 11 p.m. — Houston dealing with pandemic, economic crisis, public safety threat | Houston Police Chief Art Acevedo said the city is in a very dangerous situation. Author: Grace White Published: 11:27 PM CDT May 13, 2020 Updated: 11:27 PM CDT May 13, 2020 Facebook Twitter HOUSTON — Houston Police Chief Art Acevedo says the city is facing a triple threat. A pandemic, an economic crisis and now a threat to public safety. “It’s placing the community at risk, and it’s placing our police officers at risk, it’s just not right," Acevedo said. Read more here.
MAY 13 7:42 p.m. — A KHOU 11 Investigation of coronavirus death numbers revealed that the deaths reported in Houston could be misleading. Read the full investigation here.
MAY 13 7:03 p.m. — Harris County Judge Lina Hidalgo announced a "small army" of contract tracers will be helping track the spread of the virus. Houston and Harris County plan to add 400 "disease detectives" to make contact with those who have tested positive and asking where they've been and who they've been in contact with, all with the goal to get anyone who's been in contact with a positive person to self-isolate.
MAY 13 6:25 p.m. — As the Texas Education Agency makes recommendations for the next school year, parents are struggling with the possibility of more remote learning. "It's been chaotic," one HISD mother told us. Read more here.
MAY 13 6:05 p.m. — A Harris County Jail inmate who tested positive for coronavirus died Wednesday. The inmate -- a man between the ages of 65-75 -- was taken to the hospital on Friday after displaying symptoms consistent with COVID-19. He had been in jail since last summer.
He is the third jail inmate to die after testing positive for coronavirus.
The official cause of death is pending an autopsy by the Harris County institute of Forensic Sciences.
MAY 13 5:45 p.m. — A 113-year-old woman in Spain has become the country's oldest coronavirus survivor, according to multiple media reports.
Maria Branyas was born in 1907 and turned 113 on March 4, Spanish news agency EFE reports. That was the last day her family was able to visit her before Spain implemented a major national lockdown to try and prevent the spread of coronavirus.
Branyas also survived the Spanish flu pandemic. Read more.
MAY 13 3:33 p.m. — Mayor Sylvester Turner had some bad news for people who like to cool off in city pools in the summer. He said they probably won't open city pools anytime soon -- if at all -- because it's too difficult to engage in social distancing.
The mayor also said they're looking at a modified version of the City of Houston's annual Fourth of July bash along Buffalo Bayou. It won't be the same but they're still trying to work out details of what can be done in light of the city's massive budget cuts.
All June parades in Houston have been canceled. The Houston Pride Parade has been postponed until the fall.
MAY 13 3:22 p.m. — The City of Houston will hold a Houston Together Virtual Job Fair on Thursday, May 14 at 11 a.m. and 1 p.m.
The city has 300 new temporary positions for contact tracers, call center reps, epidemiologists, nurses and other positions to help in the fight against COVID-19. More details here.
MAY 13 2:26 p.m. — Galveston County is reopening the McGuire Dent Recreation Center on May 18 to adults only. The fitness center will be open Monday through Friday from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. Anyone wishing to attend must make a reservation by calling 409-797-3700 between Monday and Friday from 8 p.m. to 4 p.m.
The center will operate under workout hours that start at the top of every hour and end 50 minutes past each hour. The center is requiring social distancing for everyone and temperature checks for anyone who enter.
MAY 13 2:15 p.m. — Harris County Judge Lina Hidalgo said the county is bringing on board 300 contact tracers to help track the spread of COVID-19 in the community. The tracers will be calling people who have tested positive and asking them who they've come in contact with, so that health officials can determine who needs to self-isolate to slow the spread of the virus.
MAY 13 1:20 p.m. — Tito’s Handmade Vodka is giving Baylor College of Medicine a $1 million boost.for its fight against COVID-19.
The grant from the brand’s philanthropic arm Love, Tito’s will help accelerate research on a vaccine for the virus.
Dr. Peter Hotez, dean of the National School of Tropical Medicine at Baylor, and Dr. Maria Elena Bottazzi, associate dean of the National School of Tropical Medicine, and their teams are already working on the vaccine. More details.
MAY 13 11:50 a.m. — UPDATE: The $15 million meant to help Houstonians pay rent is already gone. The money dried up in less than 90 minutes.
"All funds for the BakerRipley COVID-19 Rental Assistance Program have been committed. Enrollment has been suspended," Baker Ripley tweeted at 11:35 a.m. "The site is now closed."
The online application process began at 10 a.m. Wednesday but and they stopped accepting applications at 11:25 a.m. Read more here.
MAY 13 11:16 a.m. — Six Flags Entertainment Corporation has announced that visitors will be required to pre-register when the parks reopen. According to a press release, the new guest reservation system will allow parks to manage daily attendance levels and avoid overcrowding in accordance with the CDC's recommendations on social distancing. Read more here.
MAY 13 11 a.m. — Houstonians applying for rental assistance program met with technical errors due to high demand | If you're behind on rent and live in the City of Houston, help is now available through a $15 million fund that was approved last week. The website was temporarily taken offline earlier this morning due to a high traffic load but appears to be running again, although slower. Read more here.
MAY 13 10:29 a.m. — FBI, Homeland Security warn Chinese hackers likely targeting coronavirus researchers | The FBI and the Department of Homeland Security’s cyber division warned on Wednesday that hackers backed by the Chinese government may be attempting to steal the work of researchers dealing with the response to the coronavirus outbreak. Both the FBI and the U.S. Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency said that health care and pharmaceutical researchers need to be alert to potential attacks and should take measures to protect their data. Read more here.
MAY 13 9:55 a.m. — Disney parks in US will 'likely' require face masks when they reopen, CEO says | The CEO of the Walt Disney Company said this week that face masks for guests and workers will "likely" be one of the coronavirus precautions put in place when the company's U.S. parks reopen. In an interview with CNBC on Monday, Disney CEO Bob Chapek said guests will need to adapt to coronavirus safety precautions when the theme parks eventually reopen. Read more here.
MAY 13 8:15 a.m. — Paul Manafort, former Trump campaign chairman, released from prison due to COVID-19 concerns | Paul Manafort, Donald Trump's onetime presidential campaign chairman who was convicted as part of the special counsel's Russia investigation, has been released from federal prison to serve the rest of his sentence in home confinement due to concerns about the coronavirus, his lawyer said Wednesday. Read more here.
MAY 13 8:01 a.m. — Broadway star Nick Cordero wakes up after a month in a coma due to COVID-19 | Tony Award-nominated actor Nick Cordero has woken up from a medically-induced coma weeks after doctors amputated his leg as part of treatment against coronavirus, his wife announced on Tuesday. Amanda Kloots made the announcement on her Instagram story while she held her and Cordero's 10-month-old son, Elvis. Read more here.
MAY 13 7:18 a.m. — CDC guidance more restrictive than White House | Advice from the nation’s top disease control experts on how to safely reopen businesses and institutions in the coronavirus pandemic included detailed instructive guidance and some more restrictive measures than the plan released by the White House last month. The guidance, which was shelved by Trump administration officials, also offered recommendations to help communities decide when to shut facilities down again during future flareups of COVID-19. The Associated Press has obtained a 63-page document that is more detailed than other, previously reported segments of the shelved guidance from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (AP)
MAY 13 5 a.m. — L.A. County in Calif. is expected to extend shutdown well into the summer | From CBS LA: Los Angeles County residents can expect to remain under some type of “Safer At Home” restrictions well into the summer barring any major change in the fight against the coronavirus, the county’s public health director said Tuesday. Public Health Director Barbara Ferrer made the suhttps://losangeles.cbslocal.com/2020/05/12/coronavirus-covid-la-county-stay-at-home-orders/ggestion during a Board of Supervisors meeting Tuesday, saying some form of stay-at-home restrictions will likely remain in place “for the next three months”.
“There’s now no way, unless there was a dramatic change in this virus and the tools that we have at hand to actually fight against this virus, there’s no way that we could in fact see us not needing to continue with a set of restrictions,” Ferrer said. Such “dramatic change” would involve a reliable vaccine, at-home testing, and treatment for COVID-19, Ferrer added.
She did not specify what types of restrictions might remain in place even as the countywide Safer At Home order is set to expire Friday. Read more here.
MAY 13 4:49 a.m. — UK on course for 'significant' recession after March slump | The British economy shrank 2% in the first quarter of the year from the previous three-month period, the biggest quarterly decline since the global financial crisis of 2008 even though it included just one week of the coronavirus lockdown. The Office of National Statistics found that the slump was getting deeper as the quarter came to an end, with output down by 5.8% in March alone, the month when curbs on everyday life started being put in place by the British government. Prime Minister Boris Johnson put the U.K. into full lockdown on March 23, days after closing pubs and restaurants and schools. Treasury chief Rishi Sunak warned of a “significant” recession to come. (AP)
MAY 13 4:10 a.m. — House rescue package includes $25 billion for Postal Service |A new coronavirus aid package released Tuesday by House Democrats includes $25 billion for the cash-strapped U.S. Postal Service, which could run out of money by the end of September without a taxpayer bailout. Mail volume is down by more than 30% from last year because of the pandemic, and the Postal Service says losses will increase by more than $22 billion over the next 18 months. (AP) Read more here
MAY 13 3:57 a.m. — Sidelined CDC documents stress plans for more coronavirus flareups | Advice from the nation’s top disease control experts on how to safely reopen businesses and institutions in the midst of the coronavirus pandemic included detailed instructive guidance and some more restrictive measures than the plan released by the White House last month. The guidance, which was shelved by Trump administration officials, also offered recommendations to help communities decide when to shut facilities down again during future flareups of COVID-19. (AP) Read more here
MAY 13 3:13 a.m. — Wuhan to test all residents after handful of new infections | Authorities in the Chinese city where the coronavirus pandemic began were moving forward Wednesday with efforts to test all 11 million residents for the virus within 10 days after a handful of fresh infections were found there. (AP) Read more
MAY 13 3 a.m. — Reminder: Finally! SSI recipients get stimulus payment today | You've been waiting. You've been asking. Now, the Social Security Administration is giving a specific date for stimulus payments for SSI beneficiaries. "SSI recipients who did not file a 2019 and 2018 return and who do not have a representative payee should receive their electronic payment from the IRS by May 13 by direct deposit or to their Direct Express card if they did not use the IRS’ Non-Filer Tool." Read more here.
MAY 12 10:33 p.m. — Texas bars want to reopen this Friday, May 15 | Texas bars are asking for permission to reopen for business starting this Friday. Gov. Greg Abbott hasn't agreed and still hasn't said when or how bars, taverns and night clubs might be allowed to operate again. The darkened watering holes that line the streets in Houston's Midtown represent a portion of more than $500 million in lost revenue across the state, according to the Texas Restaurant Association. Read more and watch the KHOU 11 report here
MAY 12 10:26 p.m. — Texas prisons will implement widespread coronavirus testing procedure | Texas prisons are stepping up their testing for coronavirus. On Tuesday, the Texas Department of Criminal Justice announced it would roll out widespread testing. “It needs to be everyone’s concern," said Lance Lowry, Vice President for Correctional Officers Association of Texas. Lowry said an outbreak of coronavirus behind bars will affect you, whether you think so or not. Read more and watch Grace White's report here
MAY 12 8:43 p.m. — Wanna get away? Southwest's summer fare sale starts at $49 one way as the airline tries to dig out from the dramatic drop in air travel due to the coronavirus.
MAY 12 7:23 p.m. — School districts are having to get creative with graduation ceremonies for high school seniors. Some are still hosting outdoor, in-person graduations, while others are turning to virtual ceremonies. Here's more.
MAY 12 6:42 p.m. — How badly are airports and airlines hurting during the COVID-19 pandemic? New data from the Bureau of Transportation Statistics a 50% decrease in people flying from March this year to March last year. And local airport officials at Bush Intercontinental and Hobby expect the numbers to be as low for the month of April. Read more here.
MAY 12 5:05 p.m. — Governor Greg Abbott today issued a proclamation extending his Disaster Declaration for all Texas counties in response to COVID-19. The Disaster Declaration provides the state a number of resources to effectively serve Texans as the Lone Star State continues to mitigate the spread of COVID-19.
"As we continue to respond to the COVID-19 pandemic, our top priority remains the health and safety of all Texans," said Governor Abbott. "By extending the disaster declaration, we are ensuring that Texas has the resources and capabilities in place to safely and strategically open the state while containing the spread of this virus. As we move forward in our response, I urge all Texans to continue following the health and safety guidelines laid out by the CDC and Texas’ team of medical experts." View the Governor's proclamation.
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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.
Get complete coverage of the coronavirus by texting 'FACTS' to 713-526-1111.