City website tracks warning indicators for outbreak
San Antonio officials are monitoring a number of statistics as the city reopens amid the coronavirus pandemic.
In the Health Transition Team Report, a panel of local public health experts named progress indicators that would reflect an effective community response to the virus and warning indicators that could signal increased public safety measures are needed.
Both types of indicators are now available for residents to view on the city’s website.
The report notes that “re-opening businesses and other sectors of the economy may increase the risk of COVID-19 in our community.”
The warning indicators hope to quickly recognize increased community transmission or stress on the health care system. They include:
• A decrease in the number of days it takes for the number of COVID-19 cases in the community to double
• An increase in the percentage of tests that are positive for COVID-19
• An increase in health system stress, such as limited personal protective equipment or available hospital beds\
The city’s charts reveal the current doubling rate, the percentage of total tests that come back positive and the health system’s stress score. If those charts show increased transmission rates or overwhelmed hospitals, measures such as the stay-at-home order could be tightened once more.
The city also provides indicators of progress, which include:
• A sustained decline in the number of new cases of COVID-19 over at least 14 days
• The ability to perform tests for everyone with symptoms and their close contacts, as well as people in public-facing roles
• Effective contact tracing
• Prepared health care system with sufficient hospital capacity, workforce and personal protective equipment for workers
On the website, one chart shows the number of patients on ventilators while another reveals the gap between the city’s testing capacity and its goal.