Pharr, Texas – The City of Pharr learned from Hidalgo County officials that the first case of the coronavirus (COVID-19) affecting a resident of Pharr was confirmed today. The County informed Mayor Ambrosio Hernandez, M.D. that investigators with the Hidalgo County Health and Human Services Department are actively involved in interviewing the patient to determine who they may have had contact with. Individuals who have had direct contact with the patient will be contacted by health officials, the County said, and no further information is available at this time.
From the onset of this pandemic, the City of Pharr has taken proactive measures to prepare our community for the inevitable onset. From the implementation of the Emergency Disaster Declaration to working with Homeland Security partners to secure our southern border at the Pharr International Bridge by pre-screening to prevent any high-risk individuals from entering our city or placing them in self-quarantine, city officials have worked closely with federal, state, county, and municipal leaders to mitigate the spread and minimize the impact of COVID-19 in our community.
Mayor Hernandez meets with Hidalgo County Judge Richard Cortez and local area mayors to address the coronavirus (COVID-19) crisis on March 17, 2020.
Upon learning of the positive cases, Dr. Hernandez stated the following, once again urging all residents to take proactive measures to protect themselves from exposure and slow the spread of the virus:
Today we fight an invisible enemy that has taken our world without notice and it does not discriminate. Frankly, we are all at risk. We have worked aggressively to protect our citizens and our families from this unseen enemy.
Now, we have learned that one of our own has been affected by this enemy and has tested positive for COVID-19. Our thoughts are with him and his family, and we pray for his health and recovery. We continue to urge all residents to stay at home and avoid interacting with others outside of the home as much as possible. This disease is silent, undetectable for days or weeks, and it can be very deadly. Our health care systems can very easily be overwhelmed, as we are seeing across the country and the world.
I implore our county and local leaders to follow the recommended guidelines of the Centers for Disease Control, which we are all doing, but we must do more. As a border community, we need to be more stringent with our suggested restrictions and requirements. Many people enter our area through bridges, airports, and buses, from destinations of unknown origin, who may have been exposed to COVID-19.
The CDC has recommended that anyone who has been to areas affected by COVID-19 or has been exposed to someone with COVID-19 should expect to face limitations on movement and activity. I have urged our county officials and border leaders that we must do everything we can to mitigate the uncontrolled entry of potential COVID-19 carriers, and we must act now – by screening extensively and mandating self-quarantine for those who may pose a potential risk to our community. Today, Texas Governor Greg Abbott announced that all people flying to Texas from New York, New Jersey, Connecticut and the city of New Orleans will be subject to a mandatory 14-day quarantine.
The fact is that community spread of this disease is rapidly accelerating. Since every part of this country has now been affected by COVID-19, and there is no way to tell who has been exposed to COVID-19 or is carrying the virus, I urge everyone to stay at home, clean and wash hands frequently, and monitor their symptoms and temperature for any possible signs. We must all do everything we can to slow the spread of this disease.
This is a critical moment in our lives. As the days pass, and more testing becomes available, there will likely be more positive cases confirmed. Rest assured that we will continue to fight this enemy and will do all that is necessary to protect you, your families, and our way of life, understanding the health care impact and needs as a physician, and by using all available resources, powers, and information available to me as your mayor.
We are all in this together, and we will get through this together.
Stay home, stay safe, stay healthy, and God bless!
Hidalgo County Issues Shelter-At-Home Order; Pharr School Districts Providing Meals for Students
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE THURSDAY, MARCH 26, 2020
Pharr, Texas – Pharr leaders continue to closely monitor the situation regarding the coronavirus (COVID-19), the City of Pharr and Mayor Ambrosio Hernandez, M.D., and will continue to provide updates to keep the media and the public informed as information develops. City officials urge media outlets to please share with their respective reading/viewing/listening audiences.
Hidalgo County Issues Shelter-at-Home Order
Hidalgo County Judge Richard F. Cortez signed an Amended Emergency Order which includes a Shelter-At-Home mandate ordering residents to stay at home unless they are conducting essential business. The order becomes effective at 11:59 p.m. tonight, Thursday, March 26. According to Hidalgo County, the move comes after a total of eight Hidalgo County residents learned that they have tested positive for the highly contagious COVID-19 virus. Medical experts have advised Judge Cortez that the spread of the virus could increase exponentially without drastic action to keep people at home. The City of Pharr will comply with the order and will enforce accordingly.
Local Pharr School Districts Providing Meals for All Pharr Students
Where there is a need, there is always a way. Pharr Mayor Ambrosio Hernandez, M.D., and City of Pharr officials applaud the efforts that several local school districts have been making to ensure that all Pharr area students are being fed healthy, nutritional meals during this time that they are away from school. Pharr leaders also want to remind parents of schoolchildren in Pharr that these districts are making these meals available to all Pharr children in need under the age of 18, regardless if they are enrolled in the district.
“As community leaders, we are grateful for these school districts that have stepped up and provided these meals for our students,” said Pharr Mayor Ambrosio Hernandez, M.D. “Many families rely on school meals to keep their children healthy, and it is necessary to continue supporting our students while they are not in school,” he continued.
“On behalf of our Pharr community, we applaud and thank the school districts for providing this essential service to our Pharr students,” he added.
Meals are being made possible through the Texas Department of Agriculture’s Food and Nutrition Division, which is supporting the continued operation of meal service as a result of coronavirus impacting operations. Since the meal distribution began on Monday, March 23, 2020, these Pharr area school districts have distributed thousands of meals to local Pharr children.
Vanguard Academy
On Monday, 4,908 meals were handed out through their curbside pickup; on Tuesday, a total of 6,614 were distributed. Wednesday saw the largest number of meals given out – a total of 7,496. Vanguard continues to distribute meals to all students in the Pharr area through age 18. Please refer to the schedule below.
Valley View ISD
Valley View ISD is also providing breakfast and lunch for curbside pickup daily from 10 am to 12 pm for students that are present in the vehicle. On Monday, the district served 550 meals; on Tuesday, the number more than tripled for a total of 1,189 meals. On Wednesday, 1,410 meals were distributed to students.
Distribution times and locations Monday – Friday, 10 am to 12 pm Valley View High School (High School and South students) Valley View Early College Campus (ECC, Lucas, and Elementary) Valley View Junior High (JH, 5th Grade, and North Elem.)
Hidalgo ISD
Hidalgo ISD is providing breakfast and lunch curbside pickup for all Pharr area students ages 1-18. According to Hidalgo ISD Superintendent Xavier Salinas, the demand has been increasing every day and is so high that they are finishing the food every day. On Monday, 1,422 meals were distributed to students. On Tuesday, a total of 1,622 meals were served. On Wednesday, 1,822 meals were distributed and as today, Thursday, 2,022 were handed out.
Hidalgo ISD will continue to have breakfast and lunch meals available for curbside pickup for all Pharr students ages 1-18 from 8 am to 11 am; the student must be present in the vehicle at the time of pick-up.
IDEA Public Schools
IDEA Public Schools is distributing breakfast and lunch meals to students via curbside pick-up at its two locations in Pharr – IDEA Pharr and IDEA Owassa. On Monday, IDEA schools distributed a total of 1,312 breakfast and lunch meals; on Tuesday, a total of 2,676. On Wednesday, the schools served 3,612 meals to students.
IDEA Public Schools employees distribute meals to students at curbside pick-up. Image courtesy IDEA Public Schools.
Distribution times and locations: Monday – Friday, 7 am – 10 am IDEA Pharr (600 E. Las Milpas Rd., Pharr TX 78577) IDEA Owassa (1000 E. Owassa Rd., Pharr, TX 78577)
Texas Declared Federal Disaster; Mayor Applauds CBP Efforts to Keep Border Safe
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE WEDNESDAY, MARCH 25, 2020
Pharr, Texas – Amid the rapidly-evolving situation regarding the coronavirus (COVID-19), the City of Pharr and Mayor Ambrosio Hernandez, M.D., will be providing regular updates to keep the media and the public informed as information develops. City officials urge media outlets to please share with their respective reading/viewing/listening audiences.
Texas Declared Federal Disaster
Texas Governor Greg Abbott announced today the approval of a Major Disaster Declaration for the State of Texas by President Donald J. Trump. The declaration will allow for additional federal assistance to save lives, protect property, public health, and safety, and to lessen or avert the threat of COVID-19.
Mayor Applauds CBP Efforts to Keep Border Safe from Spread of COVID-19
Pharr Mayor Ambrosio Hernandez, M.D., meets with CBP Port Director Carlos Rodriguez.
Pharr, Texas – Though a federal emergency order has limited travel along the U.S.-Mexico border for non-essential travel and services, the border remains open for trade and essential travel. In response to community concerns regarding Pharr’s proximity to the border as a recently-identified “hot spot” whereby individuals traveling to or through Pharr from unknown international countries of origin might pose a risk to the health, safety, and wellbeing of our Pharr community, this morning, Pharr Mayor Ambrosio Hernandez, M.D., took proactive measures to meet with officials at the Pharr International Bridge, including the U. S. Department of Homeland Security Customs and Border Protection (CBP) to determine what procedures are being taken to ensure that those who cross the bridge are not at risk of being infected and spreading the coronavirus when they enter our country and our city. CBP officials assured Hernandez that they are acting in accordance with President Donald J. Trump’s emergency declaration.
According to CBP officials, “CBP will utilize appropriate methods to maintain operational control of any individuals seeking entry to the United States and will prohibit the entry of any person who may pose a public health risk to the United States.”
As a physician and surgeon, Mayor Hernandez has been concerned for the public health of our Pharr community and that of the Rio Grande Valley. “During this public health emergency, it is critical that as leaders, we are doing whatever it takes to protect the health and safety of our citizens,” said Hernandez.
“I want to thank our partners at CBP, especially Port Director Carlos Rodriguez, for his leadership in rolling out this flawless initiative,” Hernandez stated. “These dedicated men and women serving our country continue to ensure that at the Pharr International Bridge, critical trade and commerce remain moving forward, and illegal crime and narcotics activity is stopped. Now, they are selflessly answering the call of duty to our country by adding this additional responsibility of working to protect and preserve our citizens’ public health at the border,” Hernandez continued. “I applaud the CBP’s efforts to control the safety of our borders and for their responsiveness in addressing our concerns,” he added.
“Evidence around the world is demonstrating the devastating impact and loss of lives that this virus can cause,” Hernandez stated. “With the right communication and coordination in place, we can calm the waters with respect to what is going on around the country,” Hernandez added.
“Most importantly, it is imperative that everyone understand that we all need to continue to do our part to slow the spread of this disease to try to minimize the impact it will have on our community,” he ended.
City of Pharr and CBP officials meet to discuss border safety during the COVID-19 pandemic.
County Issues Curfew; Bridge Remains Open for Trade and Essential Travel; Call Center FAQs
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE TUESDAY, MARCH 24, 2020
Pharr, Texas – Amid the rapidly-evolving situation regarding the coronavirus (COVID-19), the City of Pharr and Mayor Ambrosio Hernandez, M.D., will be providing regular updates to keep the media and the public informed as information develops. City officials urge media outlets to please share with their respective reading/viewing/listening audiences.
Hidalgo County Issues Emergency Order and Stay-At-Home Curfew
On Monday, March 23, 2020, Hidalgo County issued an Emergency Order to mitigate the impact of the Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. Among measures included in the order is a mandatory Stay-At-Home curfew, which took effect Monday night. From 10 pm to 5 am, all residents are ordered to remain in their homes and not travel outside the home. The City of Pharr will be enforcing the order, and officials urge citizens to heed the guidance of local, state, and federal authorities to protect the health, safety, and wellbeing of everyone.
Pharr International Bridge Remains Open for Trade and Essential Travel
Last week, President Trump announced that in an effort to combat the spread of the COVID-19 virus, the U.S.-Mexico border will be only open for trade and essential travel. The Pharr International Bridge remains open for trade and “essential travel,” which includes, but is not limited to:
U.S. citizens and lawful permanent residents returning to the United States;
Individuals traveling for medical purposes (e.g., to receive medical treatment in the United States);
Individuals traveling to attend educational institutions;
Individuals traveling to work in the United States (e.g., individuals working in the farming or agriculture industry who must travel between the United States and Mexico in furtherance of such work);
Individuals traveling for emergency response and public health purposes (e.g., government officials or emergency responders entering the United States to support Federal, state, local, tribal, or territorial government efforts to respond to COVID-19 or other emergencies);
Individuals engaged in lawful cross-border trade (e.g., truck drivers supporting the movement of cargo between the United States and Mexico);
Individuals engaged in official government travel or diplomatic travel;
Members of the U.S. Armed Forces, and the spouses and children of members of the U.S. Armed Forces, returning to the United States; and
Individuals engaged in military-related travel or operations.Individuals traveling for tourism purposes (e.g., sightseeing, recreation, gambling, or attending cultural events).
The following travel does not fall within the definition of “essential travel” for purposes of this notification:
Individuals traveling for tourism purposes (e.g., sightseeing, recreation, gambling, or attending cultural events).
The Texas International Produce Association (TIPA) reminds the public that residents of Mexico traveling across the border for work are considered essential. Workers will have to show the appropriate documents to prove employment and carry the recommended documentation with them at all times when crossing the border.
The City of Pharr has been working closely with binational partners as these new changes go into effect and will continue to keep the public informed as the situation develops.
Pharr Vital Statistics Requests By Appointment Only
Due to public health concerns with COVID-19, effective Tuesday, March 24, 2020, the City of Pharr Vital Statistics will accept birth or death certificate requests by appointment only until further notice. Please call 956-402-4100 to schedule an appointment. To request by mail please visit the City of Pharr website at https://old.pharr-tx.com/vital-statistics/This is a precautionary measure to ensure everyone’s safety. We apologize for any inconvenience.
Pharr Call Center FAQs
The City of Pharr has been staffing a call center to answer questions that residents might have in regard to city operations or general information during the public health emergency related to COVID-19.
The city has compiled a list of Frequently Asked Questions and Answers, which can be found below:
Q. What time is curfew and what are the hours? A. In accordance with the order implemented by Hidalgo County the times are from 10 pm – 5 am.
Q. If I work at a restaurant/convenience store/grocery store am I allowed to drive to work during curfew hours? A. In accordance with the order implemented by Hidalgo County, yes there are essential services, please have a work ID.
Q. What is considered essential travel in regard to the curfew in effect? A. In accordance with the order implemented by Hidalgo County, essential travel includes going to work (for government workplaces and businesses providing essential services), traveling to and from essential businesses and retail establishments, such as grocery stores, hospitals, and medical facilities, and persons serving a law enforcement role. Please refer to the order for more information.
Q. Who is enforcing the curfew? A. In accordance with the order implemented by Hidalgo County, local and county law enforcement.
Q. Are businesses supposed to be closed? A. In accordance with the order implemented by Hidalgo County, only businesses providing essential services can remain open. Businesses that are considered “non-essential retail establishments” are prohibited from servicing customers. Please refer to the order for more information.
Q. How many people are allowed to be inside of an essential business? A. In accordance with the order implemented by Hidalgo County, essential businesses are exempt from the minimum capacities.
Q. Is my water going to get disconnected if I cannot pay the bill? A. The City of Pharr will not disconnect any water services during this time of public health emergency.
Q. Is my light bill going to get disconnected if I cannot pay the bill? A. Every electricity provider is different. Please contact your electricity provider directly.
Pharr International Bridge Closing to Nonessential Travel, Commerce & Trade to Continue; Pharr Opens Call Center for Coronavirus Info
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE FRIDAY, MARCH 20, 2020
Pharr, Texas – Amid the rapidly-evolving situation regarding the coronavirus (COVID-19), the City of Pharr and Mayor Ambrosio Hernandez will be providing regular updates to keep the media and the public informed as information develops. City officials urge media to please share with your reading/viewing/listening audiences.
Pharr International Bridge Closing to Nonessential Travel
President Trump announced this morning that in an effort to combat the spread of the COVID-19 virus, the U.S.-Mexico border will be closed to nonessential travel. The Pharr International Bridge will be closing all nonessential travel to and from Mexico as per the president’s announcement beginning at midnight tonight.
“The City of Pharr has been proactively approaching our response to COVID-19 and has taken every step necessary to ensure the safety and well-being of our citizens,” said Mayor Ambrosio Hernandez, M.D. “We support the President’s decision to close all nonessential travel between the U.S.-Mexico border and applaud his decision to allow our lifeline of commerce and trade to continue,” he continued. “Our country is relying on the delivery of goods from trade and commerce at this very pivotal moment and we will continue to also ensure the safety and well-being of our truck drivers as they continue providing their services to meet our needs here and across the border,” added Hernandez.
U.S. and Mexican officials have mutually determined that nonessential travel between the United States and Mexico poses the additional risk of transmission and spread of COVID-19 and places the populace of both nations at increased risk of contracting COVID-19.
“Accordingly, and consistent with the authority granted in 19 U.S.C. 1318(b)(1)(C) and (b)(2),4 I have determined that land ports of entry along the U.S.-Mexican border will suspend normal operations and process for entry only those travelers engaged in “essential travel,” defined below, for entry into the United States,” said Acting General Counsel from the U.S. Department of Homeland Security. Chad R. Mizelle in a letter to local leaders. “Given the definition of “essential travel” below, this temporary alteration in land ports of entry operations should not interrupt legitimate trade between the two nations or disrupt critical supply chains that ensure food, fuel, medicine, and other critical materials reach individuals on both sides of the border,” he added.
For purposes of the temporary alteration in certain designated ports of entry operations authorized under 19 U.S.C. 1318(b)(1)(C) and (b)(2), travel through the land ports of entry and ferry terminals along the United States-Mexico border shall be limited to “essential travel” which includes, but is not limited to — • U.S. citizens and lawful permanent residents returning to the United States;
• Individuals traveling for medical purposes (e.g., to receive medical treatment in the United States);
• Individuals traveling to attend educational institutions;
• Individuals traveling to work in the United States (e.g., individuals working in the farming or agriculture industry who must travel between the United States and Mexico in furtherance of such work);
• Individuals traveling for emergency response and public health purposes (e.g., government officials or emergency responders entering the United States to support Federal, state, local, tribal, or territorial government efforts to respond to COVID-19 or other emergencies);
• Individuals engaged in lawful cross-border trade (e.g., truck drivers supporting the movement of cargo between the United States and Mexico);
• Individuals engaged in official government travel or diplomatic travel;
• Members of the U.S. Armed Forces, and the spouses and children of members of the U.S. Armed Forces, returning to the United States; and
• Individuals engaged in military-related travel or operations.
The following travel does not fall within the definition of “essential travel” for purposes of this notification:
• Individuals traveling for tourism purposes (e.g., sightseeing, recreation, gambling, or attending cultural events).
The Texas International Produce Association (TIPA) wants to remind the public that residents of Mexico traveling across the border for work are considered essential. Workers will have to show the appropriate documents to prove employment and carry the recommended documentation with them at all times when crossing the border.
The City of Pharr has been working closely with binational partners as these new changes go into effect.
“Our strong bonds with our Mexican counterparts are in full effect and we have been meeting daily as new actions and strategies are announced to combat COVID-19,” Hernandez said. “We hope to get the virus under control and will continue to review our situation at all ports of entry,” he said.
“Both our countries know the importance of working together to limit the spread of the virus and ensure the commerce that supports our economy continues to keep flowing,” Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said during the morning press conference in Washington, D.C.
The policy will be reviewed in 30 days and adjusted if necessary.
The City of Pharr has opened up a 311 Call Center to consolidate all calls relating to COVID-19. We are here to answer questions and concerns you may have. This line is available to our entire community to include businesses. Please dial 956-402-4311 to get in contact with us, hours of operation are Monday through Sunday 8:00 A.M. – 12:00 A.M. midnight. Se habla Español.
