Christus Spohn Memorial Hospital, known as Old Memorial, might become a dedicated COVID-19 facility within the next month. The hospital district voted to begin efforts to set up an established COVID-19 unit at a meeting April 9. Staff photo
Old Memorial Christus Spohn Hospital might become a COVID-19 patient care unit, announced Nueces County Judge Barbara Canales at the daily joint city/county pandemic news briefing at City Hall on April 9. The hospital is where doctors are conducting drive-through testing for the disease, which is caused by the novel coronavirus SARS-CoV-2.
The Nueces County Hospital District's Board of Managers voted earlier the same day to establish a patient care unit at the old hospital, which is scheduled to be demolished in 2023. The plan has been in the works for at least a month and would take an additional month to put into action.
“We are talking about doing something that would normally take months and putting it into 30 days,” Canales said. “It can be done. It’s being done all over our country.”
Initially, the hospital would have 30 beds on the second floor and the ability to expand on additional floors. The hospital would operate until a vaccine for the virus is developed, which optimistically could be within a year.
“While we are not a hotspot (for the virus) today, we know we have all the elements to create a perfect storm,” Canales told the Board of Managers at its Thursday meeting. Currently, Nueces County has reported 72 cases of COVID-19. Of those, six are in the hospital; three are critically ill.
The mental health facilities currently operating at the hospital would be moved elsewhere. The trauma care unit and other functions of the hospital were moved to the newly expanded Christus Spohn Hospital on Shoreline Drive in 2017.
Also, at the city/county news briefing, Canales announced she was adding golf courses to the list of city attractions that will be closed to the public. Originally, golf courses were allowed to stay open as long as players observed social distancing.
“The distinction is that a golf course is a non-essential business as deemed by the governor,” Canales said. “We want to be consistent with our state partners.”
Courses will be given until 5 p.m. Friday, April 10, to close.
She added that beaches and parks, which are closed through 6 a.m. Monday, April 13, will be closely monitored after that, mainly because people have been crowding the beaches despite social distancing orders. A photo in a local newspaper showed a line of cars along the entire stretch of beach leading to Bob Hall Pier. The photo was taken Thursday, April 8.
The photo was so shocking in light of the social distancing guidelines in effect that some people accused the Corpus Christi Caller-Times of faking it. The daily newspaper responded the next day with a story reassuring everyone that the photos were authentic. Canales said the crowded beaches were the reason the city and county decided to cut off vehicular access, at least for the Easter weekend.
“Bob Hall pier and the beach were packed yesterday,” Canales said at the news briefing. “We’ve got to do a better job. I look forward to lifting this closure on Monday.” She added that the situation would be closely monitored when beaches did reopen.
For more tips on how to keep yourself, your workspace, and your home safe, visit the COVID-19 resources webpage at CCBizNews.com/covid-19. You’ll also find information on the latest news, closures, cancellations, and public orders along with informational links to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the World Health Organization.
If you think you have the coronavirus, please contact the Corpus Christi-Nueces County Public Health District at 361-826-7200, and a representative will give you instructions. Check the city’s webpage for more information.
