San Antonio, Texas could be the next hotspot medical professionals are called to in the battle against the COVID-19 virus.

Bus driver Richard Holmgren from Salina will help them get there on time for their shift – he already knows the routine in his second theater of operations during the pandemic.

Back in early April, Holmgren volunteered to work 12-hour shifts for Village Tours in New York City, transporting doctors and nurses from hotels to area hospitals to treat patients. He rotated back home in late June and had just passed through quarantine when his phone buzzed with a text and a new opportunity.

Holmgren credits face masks for protecting him from contracting the virus in New York and says nurses he’s talked to in Texas think the population isn’t ready to respond to a major outbreak.

 

According to CNBC, Texas reported more than 8,000 people hospitalized with Covid-19 on Sunday, a record number of admissions among the highest in the U.S. Last week, Texas Governor Greg Abbott implemented a face covering requirement to help slow the spread of COVID-19.