ODESSA, Texas — As restaurants, businesses, amusement parks and performing arts centers have nearly reopened now in Texas, the West Texas VA Health System is starting to follow suit.
Today marks their 2nd week of in-person appointments.
Last week, they opened up at 25%.
A few dozen people came in for appointments and the director says it was a smooth transition.
They plan to continue to 50, then 75% after 2 week increments.
They’ll wait to reopen their community living center though as it’s a high risk facility with a dominant elderly population.
But they’re basing these strategized phases on three things:
- regional data of positive cases
- stock of PPE
- testing capability
"If we see an outbreak, if we see a resurgence, if we see some indication to the contrary we’ll be agile and flexible and able to either sit tight at up to 25% or if need be if there’s a bad enough situation we can roll back a little bit if we need to," Cave said.
In the process of reopening in-person appointments, the West Texas VA clinic has spaced out their chairs in the waiting room for social distancing, they’re requiring masks upon entry and they’re providing temperature checks at the door.
They’ve also asked veterans to call ahead before coming into the clinics and are still limiting visitors.
"In many ways it looks like the measures people have taken, especially here in West Texas have helped keep the percentage low so don’t let up now," Cave said.