On Wednesday, October 7, 2020, Governor Abbott issued Executive Order GA-32, which superseded GA-30. Significantly, GA-32 updates the thresholds for areas with high hospitalizations.
The new definition of areas with high hospitalizations is:
Any Trauma Service Area (TSA) that has had seven consecutive days in which the number of COVID-19 hospitalized patients as a percentage of total hospital capacity exceeds 15 percent, until such time as the Trauma Service Area has seven consecutive days in which the number of COVID-19 hospitalized patients as a percentage of total hospital capacity is 15 percent or less.
Under the criteria laid out in GA-32, your Trauma Service Area, TSA B, no longer meets the definition of a high hospitalization area and so may reopen to the higher levels allowable under GA-32.
Additionally, all licensed hospitals in the TSA may resume elective surgeries as set forth in Executive Order GA-32. The Health and Human Services Commission, the agency responsible for regulating hospitals in Texas, is separately providing notice directly to affected hospitals notifying them of the ability to resume elective surgeries located in TSA B.
TSA B includes the following counties:
Bailey • Dawson • Hockley • Motley • Borden • Dickens • Kent • Scurry • Castro • Floyd • King • Terry • Cochran • Gaines • Lamb • Yoakum • Cottle • Garza • Lubbock • Crosby • Hale • Lynn.
You can find data on hospitalizations at: dshs.texas.gov/ga32.
If you have questions about this notice or your obligations under Executive Order GA-32, please contact us at coronavirus@dshs.texas.gov. Please enter “Executive Order 32” in the subject line for proper routing.
If you have questions specifically related to the hospitals’ obligations under GA-32, please contact the Health and Human Services Commission at infohflc@hhs.texas.gov.
If you have questions specifically related to the impact on businesses regulated by the Texas Alcoholic Beverage Commission, visit tabc.texas.gov/coronavirus or send an email to questions@tabc.texas.gov.