Governor Greg Abbott today announced that the Texas Department of State Health Services and the Texas Division of Emergency Management have surged medical personnel and personal protective equipment (PPE) to El Paso to help combat COVID-19 and support hospitals in the region. This deployment of 75 medical personnel, including nurses and respiratory therapists, is in addition to the 169 personnel previously deployed to El Paso. DSHS is also working with contracted staffing agencies to ensure personnel are available to be deployed to regions seeing an increase in COVID-19 hospitalizations, like El Paso, so the state can respond quickly to their needs.
"It is vital that Texas communities seeing an uptick in hospitalizations have the resources they need to combat COVID-19," said Governor Abbott. "This surge in medical personnel and PPE will help support El Paso's hospitals and first responders as we mitigate the spread of this virus. The State of Texas will continue to work alongside local officials and prioritize the health and safety of Texans."