San Antonio, Bexar County push wireless emergency alert to warn about COVID-19

BEXAR COUNTY (KTSA News) — The City of San Antonio and Bexar County pushed an wireless emergency alert at around 7 p.m. Wednesday to tell people about the severity of the current coronavirus spread.

The message:

Risk of COVID-19 is now at severe level. Nine out of ten patients in the hospital are unvaccinated. Mask up, get vaccinated and get tested. http://covid19.sanantonio.gov/vaccineinfo

Riesgo de COVID-19 es severo. Nueve de diez hospitalizados no estan vacunados. Use cubrebocas, vacunese y hagase la prueba.

The majority of adults in Bexar County are vaccinated, but city and county officials said the current wave of the Delta variant of the virus is putting a strain on the local hospital system.

“Metro Health now rates our community’s COVID-19 risk level as severe, up from moderate last week. Our hospitals are under significant stress because of the big increase in COVID patients,” San Antonio Mayor Ron Nirenberg said. “COVID-19 is a serious threat, and we must take the threat seriously. I urge everyone to get vaccinated and wear masks in indoor public places.”

 The government said at a news event Wednesday that more than 88 percent of new COVID-19 cases are of the Delta variant.

Nirenberg and Bexar County Judge Nelson Wolff said it is up to people themselves to do what they can to to limit the burden, which includes getting the COVID-19 vaccination.

“As our hospitals continue to edge towards capacity, it is on all of us to do what we can, roll up our sleeves and get vaccinated. We have done all we can with the authority the Governor has left us with. It is now up to our citizens to do the right thing and get the shot,” said Wolff.

Additionally, the city said people can reduce their own risk of hospitalization was by “getting vaccinated, wearing a mask indoors and avoiding spaces with poor ventilation.”