Petroplex News

Odessa Development Corp.'s $48,814 reimbursement was approved as an emergency item during an Odessa City Council meeting on April 14, even though it wasn't part of the agenda. 

The reimbursement will go to Westech Seal Inc. for manufacturing polycarbonate, which was used for COVID-19 items, according to OA Online. 

The polycarbonate "is related to intubation protection chambers for first responders and for people on the front line doing some of the testing and some of the intubations for COVID-19," Odessa Chamber of Commerce Economic Development Director Wesley Burnett said during the City Council meeting. “They’re working to use that same material for some of the possibly drive-thru testing or some of the testing so the testers can stand in a protective booth.”

COVID-19 intubation and testing can cause patients to sneeze and cough, Burnett said at the meeting. The polycarbonate added an extra protective layer to first responders. 

“We were asked if we could help with that and get the materials and [Odessa Development Corp.] stepped up and said they could do that," Burnett saide. 

The city thought it was a good idea, not only because it would produce polycarbonate, but it would keep some people employed and is related to the company's purpose. 

“We bought the materials and they donated the labor and the assembly. There won’t be any cost to the hospitals," Burnett said at the meeting. 

The ODC will send the materials made to the Odessa Regional Medical Center and Medical Center Hospital, according to OA Online. 

The item was allowed to be added to the City Council meeting because it was an emergency item pertaining to COVID-19, Mayor David Turner said at the meeting. If the meeting wasn't approved on Tuesday, he also said it would have had to wait another two weeks, according to OA Online. 

“It’s for COVID and it’s for first responders, because right now, you can’t find anything like N95’s and so if they can manufacture something locally it makes it a lot easier right now because you could make it yourself instead of having to buy it," Turner said. 

As of April 26, Texas reported 25,297 confirmed cases of the coronavirus, including 663 deaths. Ector County has 70 confirmed cases of COVID-19.