This emergency declaration is unique in that it bans evacuees quarantined at Joint Base San Antonio-Lackland from entering the city. Scroll down and see Item #7 highlighted in red near the end of the declaration. 

MAYOR'S OFFICE
March 2, 2020

DECLARATION OF A PUBLIC HEALTH EMERGENCY

WHEREAS, In December 2019 a novel coronavirus, now designated COVID-19, was detected in Wuhan City, Hubei Province, China Symptoms of COVID-19 include fever, cough, and shortness of breath. Outcomes have ranged from mild to severe illness, and in some cases death; and

WHEREAS, on January 30, 2020, the World Health Organization Director General declared the outbreak of COVID-19 as a Public Health Emergency of International Concern (PHEIC). advising countries to prepare for the containment, detection, isolation and case management, contact tracing and prevention of onward spread of the disease; and

WHEREAS, United States nationals were transported from Wuhan City, China to several secure locations within the United States identified by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), including Joint Base San Antonio-Lackland (Lackland) in San Antonio, Texas, in order to ensure the health and wellbeing of those persons; and

WHEREAS, on February 7, 2020, 91 Americans evacuated from Wuhan City, China (Cohort 1) arrived at Lackland, with one person diagnosed with the virus and transported to a local hospital; and

WHEREAS, on February 17, 2020, the Centers for Disease Control evacuated 144 passengers from a cruise ship docked In Japan (Cohort 2) to Lackland; and

WHEREAS, on February 20, 2020, 90 evacuees from Cohort 1 were released from quarantine and returned to their homes; and

WHEREAS, persons in Cohort 2 that have not exhibited symptoms or have tested negative for the virus were originally set to be released from quarantine at Lackland on March 2, 2020; and

WHEREAS, to dale, ten (10) persons evacuated to Lackland have tested positive for the virus and it is anticipated that the number of persons diagnosed with the virus is likely to increase, as testing for the virus continues; and

WHEREAS, all persons quarantined at Lackland and transported to local hospitals are In zero-pressure facilities and being attended to by staff following established CDC protocols for handling these patients In an effort to minimize the potential hazard to the residents of San Antonio and Baker County; and

WHEREAS, on Saturday, February 29, 2020, one of the persons in Cohort 1 who had tested positive for COVID-19 and subsequently tested negative on two tests was released from quarantine. However, this person tested positive for the virus on a third test, with results coming in after her release. This person visited a local mall, ate at Its food court, and spent a few hours among other persons, potentially exposing the public to the virus; and

WHEREAS, the person has been returned to quarantine at Lackland while the CDC and local health authorities are taking steps to ensure the community is kept safe and the exposure risk is minimized; and

WHEREAS, it is necessary to the public health of the residents of San Antonio and surrounding areas that those quarantined persons at Lackland remain within the confines of those safe, secure facilities during the quarantine period following their exposure to the virus; and

WHEREAS, following the release of the person from Cohort 1 and positive test after that release, the imminent movement of those quarantined at lackland by the CDC to other facilities within the City limits or transport to the San Antonio International Airport for travel to another secure location increases the risks to the residents of the greater San Antonio area, creating a public health threat, requiring the City to mitigate the risk of disease and manage the concerns of residents; and

WHEREAS, the identification of -community spread" cases of COVID-19 in the United States could potentially signal that transmission of the virus may no longer be limited to travel to China, or contact with travelers who have visited China; and

WHEREAS, pursuant to the Texas Disaster Act of 1975, the mayor is designated as the emergency management director of the City of San Antonio, and may exercise the powers granted to the governor on an appropriate local scale; and

WHEREAS, a declaration of local disaster and public health emergency includes the ability to reduce the possibility of exposure to disease, control the risk, promote health, compel persons to undergo additional health measures that prevent or control the spread of disease, including isolation, surveillance, quarantine, or placement of persons under public health observation, including the provision of temporary housing or emergency shelters for persons misplaced or evacuated and request assistance from the governor of state resources; and

WHEREAS, by this Declaration of Public Health Emergency, I declare all rules and regulations that may inhibit or prevent prompt response to this threat suspended for the duration of the incident, and

WHEREAS, pursuant to the authority granted to the Mayor under the Texas Disaster Act of 1975, I authorize the use of all available resources of state government and political subdivisions to assist in the City's response to this situation; and

WHEREAS, I, Ron Nirenberg, the Mayor of the City of San Antonio have determined that extraordinary and immediate measures must be taken to respond quickly, prevent and alleviate the suffering of people exposed to and those infected with the virus, as well as those that could potentially be infected or Impacted by COVID-19;

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT PROCLAIMED BY THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO:

1. That a local state of disaster and public health emergency is hereby declared for the City of San Antonio pursuant to §418.108(a) of the Texas Government Code.

2. Pursuant to §418.108(b) of the Government Code, the state of disaster and public health emergency shall continue for a period of not more than seven days from the date of this declaration unless continued or renewed by the City Council.

3. Pursuant to §418.108(c) of the Government Code, this declaration of a local state of disaster and public health emergency shall be given prompt and general publicity and shall be filed promptly with the City Clerk.

4. Pursuant to §418.108(d) of the Government Code, this declaration of a local state of disaster and public health emergency activates the City of San Antonio's emergency management plan.

S. Pursuant to §418.020(c) of the Government Code, this declaration authorizes the City to commandeer or use any private property, temporarily acquire, by !ease or other means, sites required for temporary housing units or emergency shelters for evacuees, subject to compensation requirements.

6. Pursuant to 4122.006 of the Health and Safety Code, this declaration authorizes the City to take any actions necessary to promote health and suppress disease, including quarantine, examining and regulating hospitals, regulating ingress and egress from the City, and fining those who do not comply with the City's rules.

7. Pursuant to the statutory authority cited above, I, Mayor Ron Nirenberg, declare that ingress into and travel through the City of San Antonio from Lackland by those persons that have been quarantined in the facility is not permitted. No previously quarantined person shall be permitted to enter the City of San Antonio until further notice.

8. This proclamation shall take effect immediately from and after its issuance.

ORDERED this 2nd day of March, 2020.

MAYOR RON NIRENBERG
City of San Antonio, Texas



See original (not yet posted to city website)

https://www.facebook.com/nirenberg/posts/1766073133535164