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 The Texas Department of State Health Services (DSHS) is working closely with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) in responding to the new coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID‑19) that is causing an outbreak of respiratory illness worldwide. 

Governor Abbott has issued several Executive Orders opening businesses and activities in Texas. Additional information on recommended minimum standard health protocols and other guidance can be found on the Opening the State of Texas page.

State agencies, business owners, employers, and members of the general public can also find workplace-specific recommendations in the following:

Letter to Texas Employers (ENGLISH) ( 5/7/2020)

Letter to Texas Employers (SPANISH) (7/10/2020)

DSHS Interim Guidance for Mail 

COVID-19 Self-Checker

Use this Self-Checker tool to help determine whether you should be tested for COVID-19. You can complete this assessment for yourself or on behalf of someone else, if they are not able.

 During January 1, 2020–May 18, 2020, approximately 1.3 million cases of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) and 83,000 COVID-19–associated deaths were reported in the United States (1). Understanding the demographic and clinical characteristics of decedents could inform medical and public health interventions focused on preventing COVID-19–associated mortality. This report describes decedents with laboratory-confirmed infection with SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19, using data from 1) the standardized CDC case-report form (case-based surveillance) (https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/php/reporting-pui.html) and 2) supplementary data (supplemental surveillance), such as underlying medical conditions and location of death, obtained through collaboration between CDC and 16 public health jurisdictions (15 states and New York City). 

What is the difference between Influenza (Flu) and COVID-19?

Influenza (Flu) and COVID-19 are both contagious respiratory illnesses, but they are caused by different viruses. COVID-19 is caused by infection with a new coronavirus (called SARS-CoV-2) and flu is caused by infection with influenza viruses. Because some of the symptoms of flu and COVID-19 are similar, it may be hard to tell the difference between them based on symptoms alone, and testing may be needed to help confirm a diagnosis. Flu and COVID-19 share many characteristics, but there are some key differences between the two.

While more is learned every day, there is still a lot that is unknown about COVID-19 and the virus that causes it. This table compares COVID-19 and flu, given the best available information to date.

To learn more about COVID-19, visit Coronavirus (COVID-19).

To learn more about flu, visit Influenza (Flu).

•  What you need to know
• Stay home if you are sick.
• Stay at least 6 feet away, both in and out of the water, from people you don’t live with.
• Wear a cloth face covering when you are not in the water.
• Wash your hands often and don’t share items with people you don’t live with.

Before you go

• Use social distancing in and out of the water
• Wear a cloth face covering
• Wash hands often and avoid sharing items
• The places we visit to swim, play, and relax in water include beaches — swim areas in oceans, lakes, and other natural bodies of water — and pools, water playgrounds, and hot tubs. There is no evidence that SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19, can spread to people through water in these places.
• In or out of the water, stay at least 6 feet away from people you don’t live with
• The virus is thought to spread mostly person-to-person, by respiratory droplets released when an infected person coughs, sneezes, or talks. 

Three kinds of tests are available for COVID-19: viral tests ,  antibody tests and Antigen Tests.

A viral test tells you if you have a current infection.  It tests for fragments of the Virus.  We have the molecular NAAT Test that is provided by Abbott Labs via the ID Now Platform.    

An antibody test might tell you if you had a past infection. An antibody test might not show if you have a current infection because it can take 1–3 weeks after infection for your body to make antibodies. Having antibodies to the virus that causes COVID-19 might provide protection from getting infected with the virus again. If it does, we do not know how much protection the antibodies might provide or how long this protection might last.  An Antigen Test is best if you believe you have onset of symptoms and is informative when the patient has recently been exposed.  We provide the Veritor System Rapid Antigen test.

 What you need to know

We do not know the exact source of the current outbreak of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), but we know that it originally came from an animal, likely a bat.

At this time, there is no evidence that animals play a significant role in spreading the virus that causes COVID-19.

Based on the limited information available to date, the risk of animals spreading COVID-19 to people is considered to be low.

More studies are needed to understand if and how different animals could be affected by COVID-19.

Viral tests check samples from your respiratory system, such as a swab from the inside of your nose, to tell you if you currently have an infection with SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19. Some tests are point-of-care tests, meaning results may be available at the testing site in less than an hour. Other tests must be sent to a laboratory to analyze, a process that takes 1–2 days once received by the lab. 

 The purpose of the Coronavirus Self-Checker is to help you make decisions about seeking appropriate medical care. This system is not intended for the diagnosis or treatment of disease or other conditions, including COVID-19. This system is intended only for people who are currently located in the United States.

This project was made possible through a partnership with the CDC Foundation and is enabled by Microsoft’s Azure platform. CDC’s collaboration with a non-federal organization does not imply an endorsement of any one particular service, product, or enterprise.

 Antibody tests check your blood by looking for antibodies, which may tell you if you had a past infection with the virus that causes COVID-19. Antibodies are proteins that help fight off infections and can provide protection against getting that disease again (immunity). 

Except in instances in which viral testing is delayed, antibody tests should not be used to diagnose a current COVID-19 infection. An antibody test may not show if you have a current COVID-19 infection because it can take 1–3 weeks after infection for your body to make antibodies. To see if you are currently infected, you need a viral test.  to  identify the virus in samples from your respiratory system, such as a nose swab.