By Jorge A. Vela, LMTonline.com / Laredo Morning Times

On the heels of winning the democratic nomination, Rep. Henry Cuellar held a press conference Friday to point out how the Laredo area will be impacted by the $8.3 billion coronavirus supplemental bill passed by congress.

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Cuellar, along with Health Department Director Hector F. Gonzalez, MD, MPH, presented a press conference speaking about the recently approved H.R. 6074, Coronavirus Preparedness and Response Supplemental Appropriations Act, which is intended to fight the novel coronavirus both nationally and around the globe. The two officials mainly discussed how these funds are expected to impact Laredo in the fight against the virus.

“We have $8.3 billion that (the US has) put as emergency (funds),” Cuellar said. “There is going to be money for research to try to find a vaccine, but I emphasize that a vaccine usually takes 12 to 18 months. Money will also be coming to state health departments like the state of Texas, and that money will come over here.”

Cuellar said that he has to make sure that once funds are received by the Texas Health Department that some are allocated to the Laredo-border area. He noted that historically the border is often forgotten when it comes to getting much needed funds as they are usually sent to the larger metropolitan areas.

“I want to thank Congressman Henry Cuellar for his work as right away when this crisis began,” Dr. Gonzalez said. “I spoke to him in efforts to seek help to combat the virus, and he readily assisted in looking for funds and finding ways to stop the virus’ spread.”

Although the matter is serious, both Dr. Gonzalez and Cuellar advised the public not to panic over COVID-19.

“I want to point out that 80% of people who suffer from this illness will not develop any serious complications, and the complications will not be as serious for most individuals,” Dr. Gonzalez said. “On the contrary, flu is much more dangerous as in the United States nine children have developed the new coronavirus illness and none have died, while there are already 100 child deaths because of flu.”

However, due to the virus’ novelty, he advised for people to still be careful and that they should heed hygiene prevention warnings. He also mentioned he is greatly satisfied that the City of El Paso and other large metropolitan areas such as Dallas and Austin are already getting aid, and that he expects Laredo to soon be on the receiving end.

Dr. Gonzalez also noted that the city already has a laboratory facility that could be used for the testing of the new virus.

“For the laboratory to be running in full operation, we need at least $150,000 to have the ability to conduct analysis and examine all types of illnesses and COVID-19,” Dr. Gonzalez said. “However, what we need now the most are the kits to conduct such testing.”

Dr. Gonzalez said those resources are immensely needed in Laredo due to the fact that the city is the largest in-land port in the country and features people from countries worldwide converging in the city. That makes the need for such resources extremely necessary as some of the people coming in from other countries may be infected.

Therefore, people in the city cannot go to a hospital or doctor to get tested for the virus as there are currently no testing kits in the city, though samples collected locally can be sent for testing out of town. The local health department would work with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to get the individual tested in case there is suspicion of infection.

“We spoke to all the area hospitals, doctors and clinics to tell them that we will only subject to test for the virus any person who has symptoms and who under an investigation by the Laredo Health Department is confirmed and approved to get such testing as authorized by the CDC,” Dr. Gonzalez said. “Right now, they are in charge of the testing.”

However, Dr. Gonzalez does highlight that some laboratories, including in Texas, are beginning to offer testing if there is a suspected case, and even some private laboratories as well. Nevertheless, the person wanting a test or the doctor requiring a test for a patient must receive approval by the CDC to get such medical analysis.

The cost for such test is free if the CDC or any type of other public health department or entity conducts the test if approved, according to Dr. Gonzalez.

As for the in-land port possibly being shut down as President Trump pointed out a few weeks ago when probed about containing the illness to other countries, both Cuellar and Dr. Gonzalez noted that closing the border is not an option. However, they noted that preventive matters are in the works.

“We are taking preventive measures and talking with local entities, schools, hospitals, firefighters, emergency services and the City of Nuevo Laredo as there already five cases in Mexico, with the closest one being in Coahuila, but none have originated domestically as all come from people who traveled to other countries and became infected,” Dr. Gonzalez said.

Cuellar dismissed the idea of closing the border as well.

“I am thankful that (the president) does have some good advisers in the White House that told him to not close the border as it will affect the economy, and Mexico is not the problem,” Cuellar said. “The problem stems from other areas where this virus originated from.”

The congressman further pointed out that a much greater danger than spreading the virus via the border’s port of entries is due to the fact that more than 150 buses come into the city from all over the country, and in Mexico there are no resources to monitor and check people in case someone is suspected of having the virus.

Moreover, Cuellar also pointed out that the need for better communication between all the entities working together is needed in efforts to avoid another “San Antonio North Star Mall” problem, where a person was released after not getting the second test to see if they were positive for the virus and caused panic in the city. He asserts that the lack of communication between agencies such as the Department of Defense and those trying to contain the virus is something that needs to be fixed to stop the virus.

During the press conference, the congressman and Dr. Gonzalez also spoke briefly to the Texas Health Commissioner John William Hellerstedt, MD in efforts to set up a meeting to ask for funds to be redirected to the area.

“I will sit down and talk to the commissioner so we can make sure the money comes here,” Cuellar said.

Although it is not known how much the city and county will get in terms of funds from the package,as the state of Texas will decide how much money each local health department gets, it is known that more than $3 billion of the $8.3 billion is for research for a vaccine, $2.2 billion for prevention preparedness, nearly $1 billion is for pharmaceutical and medical supplies, and close to another $1 billion is intended for health systems overseas for prevention and humanitarian needs.

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In terms of any cases or suspected cases in the city and surrounding areas, there are no reports of anyone having the virus. This is despite the fact that some people that have traveled to China and South Korea recently have been monitored over the last few weeks, but no one has had the virus or even been suspected of being infected at the moment.