Situation Response

Crisis & Issue Management

Coronavirus Information and Updates Notice:

The Texas Conference Crisis Management team has been closely monitoring the latest information on the novel coronavirus.  We want to share what we know with the Texas Conference community and also share precautionary stands we’re making. To ensure you always have access to the latest information and guidance, we have activated our Crisis and Issue Management website that is continually being updated with Texas State updates and prevention along with any actions we’re implementing to keep you safe; ways you can stay healthy while traveling and attending church activities, as well as any changes to worship and events schedules. Transparency is one of our guiding principles, and we are committed to keeping you fully informed as the situation evolves.

 

CDC Updates and Shortens Recommended Isolation and Quarantine Period for General Population

Added January 3, 2022 – “Given what we currently know about COVID-19 and the Omicron variant, CDC is shortening the recommended time for isolation for the public. People with COVID-19 should isolate for 5 days and if they are asymptomatic or their symptoms are resolving (without fever for 24 hours), follow that by 5 days of wearing a mask when around others to minimize the risk of infecting people they encounter. The change is motivated by science demonstrating that the majority of SARS-CoV-2 transmission occurs early in the course of illness, generally in the 1-2 days prior to onset of symptoms and the 2-3 days after.” Find the complete release here.

North American Division Position on Requests for Religious Exemptions to Vaccine Requirements:

Added August 24, 2021-“Voted recommendations to NAD Administration regarding requests for religious exemptions to vaccine requirements: The North American Division of Seventh-day Adventists (NAD) is committed to sharing hope and wholeness through the healing ministry of Christ by promoting the Church’s historic health message. This includes caring for our own bodies as the temple of the Holy Spirit (1 Corinthians 6:19,20) and ministering to the health of others within our community (Isaiah 58).” Find the complete statement here.

Seventh-day Adventist Church Statement on Immunization:

Added August 15, 2021 – “The Seventh-day Adventist Church places strong emphasis on health and well-being…. As such, we encourage responsible immunization/vaccination, and have no religious or faith-based reason not to encourage our adherents to responsibly participate in protective and preventive immunization programs…. The choice not to be immunized is not and should not be seen as the dogma nor the doctrine of the Seventh-day Adventist Church.” Find the complete statement here.

Texas Conference “Returning to Church” Information 

On March 2, 2021, Texas Governor Greg Abbott announced Texas’s full opening, which will go into effect on March 10.  Like you, we are concern that this recommendation is not in harmony with that of the CDC or other health care and medical experts.  We understand the importance of “getting back to normal” but are hesitant to move ahead of those who have provided sound and practical guidance throughout this entire pandemic.  

With the introductions of recent vaccines and more people getting vaccinated, a prolonged opening would be more cautious.  With these things in mind, we are strongly recommending keeping the CDC recommendations in place; that includes wearing a mask, socially distancing,  hand washing, and frequent sanitizing of surfaces for the time being.  

Because we care about the health and wellbeing of all of our members and employees, we believe continuing to follow the health mitigation efforts will provide a safe and healthy environment for all who attend our worship services.  

By God’s grace, we will not have to remain under the current restrictions for long if we continue to do our part in the fight against COVID-19 and its variances. 

Thank you for you remaining faithful and protecting each other during these uncertain time.  May God bless you and your family as we trust in His unchanging hands. 

Texas Conference Administration  

Fully Vaccinated Information (updated):

This message from the CDC dated May 13, 2021:

Have You Been Fully Vaccinated?

In general, people are considered fully vaccinated: ±

  • 2 weeks after their second dose in a 2-dose series, such as the Pfizer or Moderna vaccines, or 2 weeks after a single-dose vaccine, such as Johnson & Johnson’s Janssen vaccine

 

If you don’t meet these requirements, regardless of your age, you are NOT fully vaccinated. Keep taking all precautions until you are fully vaccinated.

If you have a condition or are taking medications that weaken your immune system, you may NOT be fully protected even if you are fully vaccinated. Talk to your healthcare provider. Even after vaccination, you may need to continue taking all precautions.

What You Can Start to Do

COVID-19_banner_when_fully_vaccinated_01

If you’ve been fully vaccinated:

  • You can resume activities that you did prior to the pandemic.
  • You can resume activities without wearing a mask or staying 6 feet apart, except where required by federal, state, local, tribal, or territorial laws, rules, and regulations, including local business and workplace guidance.

 

 

  • You need to pay close attention to the situation at your international destination before traveling outside the United States.
    • You do NOT need to get tested before leaving the United States unless your destination requires it.
    • You still need to show a negative test result or documentation of recovery from COVID-19 before boarding an international flight to the United States.
    • You should still get tested 3-5 days after international travel.
    • You do NOT need to self-quarantine after arriving in the United States.
  • If you’ve been around someone who has COVID-19, you do not need to stay away from others or get tested unless you have symptoms.

 

    • However, if you live or work in a correctional or detention facility or a homeless shelter and are around someone who has COVID-19, you should still get tested, even if you don’t have symptoms.

What You Should Keep Doing

multiple images of people doing everyday things

For now, if you’ve been fully vaccinated:

  • You will still need to follow guidance at your workplace and local businesses.

 

  • If you travel, you should still take steps to protect yourself and others. You will still be required to wear a mask on planes, buses, trains, and other forms of public transportation traveling into, within, or out of the United States, and in U.S. transportation hubs such as airports and stations. Fully vaccinated international travelers arriving in the United States are still required to get tested within 3 days of their flight (or show documentation of recovery from COVID-19 in the past 3 months) and should still get tested 3-5 days after their trip.

 

  • You should still watch out for symptoms of COVID-19, especially if you’ve been around someone who is sick. If you have symptoms of COVID-19, you should get tested and stay home and away from others.

 

  • People who have a condition or are taking medications that weaken the immune system, should talk to their healthcare provider to discuss their activities. They may need to keep taking all precautions to prevent COVID-19.

What We Know

  • COVID-19 vaccines are effective at preventing COVID-19 disease, especially severe illness and death.
  • COVID-19 vaccines reduce the risk of people spreading COVID-19.

What We’re Still Learning

  • How effective the vaccines are against variants of the virus that causes COVID-19. Early data show the vaccines may work against some variants but could be less effective against others.

 

  • How well the vaccines protect people with weakened immune systems, including people who take immunosuppressive medications.
  • How long COVID-19 vaccines can protect people.

 

As we know more, CDC will continue to update our recommendations for both vaccinated and unvaccinated people.

Want to learn more about these recommendations? Read our expanded Interim Public Health Recommendations for Fully Vaccinated People.

± This guidance applies to COVID-19 vaccines currently authorized for emergency use by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration: Pfizer-BioNTech, Moderna, and Johnson and Johnson (J&J)/Janssen COVID-19 vaccines.  This guidance can also be applied to COVID-19 vaccines that have been authorized for emergency use by the World Health Organization (e.g. AstraZeneca/Oxford).

visit: CDC Vaccination site for news and updates

V-safe After Vaccination Health Checker

V-safe is a smartphone-based tool that uses text messaging and web surveys to provide personalized health check-ins after you receive a COVID-19 vaccine. Through v-safe, you can quickly tell CDC if you have any side effects after getting the COVID-19 vaccine. Depending on your answers, someone from CDC may call to check on you and get more information. V-safe will also remind you to get your second COVID-19 vaccine dose if you need one.

 
V-safe Health Checker

Visit CDC for all updated news on COVID-19 and Vaccinations

Stay tuned to TexTalk dated May 19, 2021 for the Texas Conference updates and information for churches, employees and schools. 

Remember, follow all CDC guidelines and stay safe.  


 

On April 27, 2020, Texas Governor Greg Abbott’s administration released minimum standard health guidelines for reopening churches and places of worship. OpenTexas Checklist for Churches & Places of Worship

As we prepare to return to our beloved churches, we want to provide phases to reopen that will ensure the health and safety of all of our members, guests and communities while following local municipalities guidelines. This will not be a one-size-fits-all recommendation for Texas Conference churches. Churches are not required to open if they feel it best, for the health and safety of their members, to continue online worship services and connections.  Please visit our “Returning to Church” page for the Texas Conference guidelines.  

Updated 08/05/2020 : CDC Considerations for Communities of Faith:  https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/community/faith-based.html.0000

The Texas Conference Seventh-day Adventist school will are moving to an in-person and hybrid model for the 2020-2021 school year.  For information on the educational plans, visit here for updates.

While the Texas Conference office remains open with a reduced onsite presence, it will be closed for walk-in guests at this time. If you would like to meet with someone at the conference office, please call or email in advance to confirm an appointment.  On June 29th, the Texas Conference administration strongly recommends that all in-person meetings be suspended and take place via Zoom or other platforms.  We are now recommending new guidelines for churches.  

New Guideline Update:  On 07/27/2020, the Texas Conference administration released new recommendations for churches to follow.  The statement on new recommendations can be reviewed on the Official statement page at texasadventist.org/072020Statement.

Texas State guidelines on Celebrations & Worship

Texas Department of Health and Human Services COVID-19 Updates

Update From Texas Department of Health and Human Services: 05/08/2020 “The Texas Department of State Health Services reports daily cases and recoveries from the novel coronavirus, COVID‑19.  Visit the DSHA page for updated numbers of infections, deaths, and recoveries.

https://www.dshs.texas.gov

Opening the State of Texas

On April 27, 2020, Governor Greg Abbott issued additional Executive Orders to continue the process of re‑opening the state of Texas. Review all DSHS guidance for Opening the State of Texas.

Case counts can now be found on the COVID-19 case dashboard. Accessible version (Excel)  All data are provisional and subject to change.

Texas COVID-19 Taskforce has created a self-checker for the General Population:

  • If you are in generally good health and have mild symptoms, stay home and take care of yourself like you would for a cold or the flu.
  • If symptoms worsen, call your doctor.

If you are sick or are caring for someone who is sick, you can use the COVID-19 Self-Checker on the DSHS Texas Health Trace application to help you make decisions about seeking appropriate medical care.

If you need help finding a doctor or accessing medical care, call 2‑1‑1 and they can direct you to low- or no-cost providers in your area.

Self-Checker

Previous Information from DSHS:

Read the full text of the declaration.

Texas Attorney General  Guidance for Houses of Worship During the COVID-19 Crisis

COVID-19 Testing

Your doctor will help make the decision if you should get tested for COVID‑19.

If you do not have health insurance, you can still get tested for COVID‑19 if your doctor or healthcare provider recommends it.

For information about testing, you just need to call your doctor and/or access care the way you usually do. If you need help finding a doctor or accessing medical care, call 2‑1‑1 and they can direct you to low- or no-cost providers in your area.

People can get tested for COVID‑19 at drive‑thru locations in certain parts of Texas.

 

“Yes, COVID-19 testing is free for all Americans. The Families First Coronavirus Response Act requires private and federal insurance to pay for FDA-approved testing with no cost-sharing, including drive-thru testing. The recently passed Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act extends this coverage to include testing not yet approved by the FDA in order to broaden access.” –GoodRx

Texas Executive Orders & Public Health Disaster Declaration

On March 31, 2020, Gov. Abbott issued an Executive Order implementing Essential Services and Activities Protocols. The protocols renew the Governor’s directive to avoid eating or drinking inside at bars, restaurants, and food courts, although the use of drive-thru, pickup, and delivery for food is highly encouraged. The order prohibits visiting gyms or massage establishments and expands to include tattoo studios, piercing studios, and cosmetology salons. It also extends social distancing measures to April 30, 2020, and schools will remain closed to in-person classroom attendance through May 4, 2020.

On March 30 and March 26, Gov. Abbott issued several self-quarantine edicts for travelers returning from certain locations within the United States. For complete details on which returning travelers are subject to these self-quarantine orders, see our Information for Travelers page. Instructions for self-quarantined travelers can be found on the CDC COVID‑19 Traveler Information Card.

On March 19, 2020, Dr. John Hellerstedt, commissioner of Texas DSHS, declared a public health disaster in Texas, because COVID-19 “has created an immediate threat, poses a high risk of death to a large number of people, and creates a substantial risk of public exposure because of the disease’s method of transmission and evidence that there is community spread in Texas.”

Source: https://dshs.texas.gov/coronavirus

Texas Conference “Returning to Church” Information 

 

We continue to encourage self-reporting and self-quarantine immediately if you have been in contact with someone that tested positive for COVID-19.  Please review the steps here if you begin exhibiting signs of COVID-19.

As a precaution, we are requesting that any employees or family member of employees that traveled outside of the United States to please register their trip using this form: Texas Conference Travel Registry 

Tips On Staying Well
Tips on staying well:

• Avoid close contact with people who are sick.

• Wear a mask or face covering while maintaining social distrances 

• Cover your cough or sneeze with a tissue. Then throw the tissue in the trash.

• Avoid touching your eyes, nose, and mouth.

• Clean and disinfect frequently touched objects and surfaces.

• Stay home when you are sick, except to get medical care.

• Wash your hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds.

For information, visit cdc.gov/covid19.

FAQ for Churches: https://www1.texasadventist.org/covid19faq/

FAQ for Schools:   https://www1.texasadventist.org/txedcovid19faq/

Click here: If You Get Sick Information

Resources for Local Churches

All of these resources and more can be found on the Adventist Risk Management website at https://adventistrisk.org/covid19.

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention information:

 

Elder Carlos Craig, president of the Texas Conference sharing a message on the COVID-19 outbreak and impact to the conference.

State of the Conference Town Hall March 17, 2020

We’ll keep you posted with updates.  In the meantime, if you would like more information, you can find it at these websites:

 

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