KINNEY COUNTY, Texas – About 3,600 people live in the rural community of Kinney County, which has yet to confirm a single case of COVID-19, according to officials.
Last weekend, the National Guard set up a popup test site at the county’s civic center, and 38 people were tested, Kinney County Judge Tully Shahan said.
“They weren't all from Kinney County, but every Kinney County resident who was tested last Saturday, a week ago, tested negative,” Shahan said.
Shahan said this is the only location where people have been able to get tested in the county. He said there is only one clinic in Kinney County, and the nearest hospitals are in Del Rio or Eagle Pass.
Shahan said when they first heard about the new coronavirus, local leaders, law enforcement, school officials and businesses got together to plan out how they were going to handle it.
“We started putting out a flyer once a week to all of the people in Kinney County on what to do, what not to do, who to contact if they get sick,” Shahan said.
The county judge said it has been a community effort that’s kept them safe.
“All of our churches, all of the businesses, the larger businesses in Kinney County shut down immediately,” Shahan said.
With no cases reported so far, Shahan said they are still preparing.
“We are stockpiling PPE. We’re stockpiling masks,” Shahan said.
On Monday, May 11, the National Guard will be testing again at the Kinney County Civic Center.
“We’ve been very blessed with good people cooperating together and safeguarding our community and our county,” Shahan said.