Houston-area mayors collaborate to fight Covid-19

The focus is on healthcare, economy and testing

Sugar Land’s population is only a fraction of the city of Houston’s nearly two and a half million people but with the COVID-19 pandemic, the cities have a lot in common.

“We’re dealing with not just a healthcare challenge but an economic challenge,” said Houston Mayor Sylvester Turner.

Both cities have increased the number of COVID-19 tests and testing sites, which means more positive indications.

“We know we’re testing more," said Sugar Land Mayor Joe Zimmerman. "We know we’re going to get more positive tests. “I think we need to look at the recoveries. We need to look at the number of deaths and details of the deaths, the age and then underlying health conditions.”

-What role with hospital capacity play in the region’s recovery?

-Will both cities be ready if there is a spike in COVID-19 cases?

-How can the region learn to live with the virus?

Those answers and more from both mayors on Houston Newsmakers with Khambrel Marshall.

More on Houston Newsmakers:

“The patients come to us. They’re scared.”

Lorie Shoemaker is Senior Vice President and Chief Nursing Officer for St. Luke’s Health.

“We do everything we can to heal them and get them back into their home,” she said. But that dedication comes with an emotional cost. That conversation on this week’s Houston Newsmakers.

Evictions to resume next week

There were 14-hundred eviction notices filed last week but a Texas Supreme court moratorium kept those notices from being processed but that moratorium is being lifted as of May 18th. Attorney Kenneth Barrett says there are things people can do to stave off eviction but as of May 19th Constables can begin serving eviction lawsuits on tenants. What stressed tenants need to know.

Watch this week’s Houston Newsmakers Sunday morning at 10:30am