SCHERTZ, Texas — The coronavirus has made its way inside Silver Tree Nursing and Rehabilitation Center in Schertz.
In a press release, management said:
"We have had people connected with our facility test positive for COVID-19. We are working closely with the local health authority, to determine the full spread of the outbreak."
An exact number of cases wasn't mentioned in the release. A woman who lives in a retirement community down the street is concerned.
"I know we've had people in there and out of there and people visit over there," she said.
She doesn't want to see a repeat of what happened in San Antonio. Southeast Nursing and Rehabilitation Center became the epicenter of the city's coronavirus fight. More than 100 residents and staff members tested positive and 19 people died.
On Wednesday, Governor Greg Abbott announced that help is on the way for nursing home facilities. The Texas National Guard has activated Facilities Disinfection Teams to support Texans in nursing homes and to help limit the spread of coronavirus. Six teams have already been mobilized to facilities across the state with more coming online.
"The Texas National Guard plays a crucial role in our ongoing response to COVID-19 and I am grateful for their work to address the unique challenges our nursing homes face during this pandemic," Governor Abbott said.
Earlier this week, Governor Abbott also directed state health services to test all residents and staff of nursing homes in Texas.
Silver Tree management said they've enhanced their housekeeping and are doing daily screenings. They won't say if those infected are residents or employees.
Their neighbor down the road would like to see more testing and transparency.
"It would be nice to know," she said. "The more information we have, the more we can prepare and protect ourselves."