El Paso COVID-19 cases have risen throughout the first couple of weeks of 2022. 

El Paso Strong reported more than 200,000 cumulative positive cases on January 18, 2022. 

Although the city is dealing with at-home test shortages and long testing lines, the cases continue to increase.

Nearly two years since the beginning of the pandemic in March 2020, many El Paso businesses are still facing challenges. 

El Paso’s Data 

The El Paso County Department of Economic Development awarded $10,381,441 in grants to 627 local small businesses and nonprofits. 

The initiative was launched to provide tangible assistance to local businesses and nonprofits as they transition from relief to recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic. 

Small business landscape and concrete owner, Jesus Manuel, said Covid-19 had a ‘huge’ impact on the business sales services. 

Manuel said, “Fortunately, months after the pandemic hit, we saw an increased demand for our services.”   

Like small businesses, schools are also affected by their lack of school attendance. 

Rising Covid-19 cases, driven by the infectious omicron variant, resulted in staff being absent in El Paso schools, resulting in a shortage of teachers and substitutes. 

Loretto chemistry teacher, Mr. Nieto, said he strongly believes that Covid-19 has impacted schools. 

Nieto said, “It was a challenge in having to fill in the learning gap of online school, but it has taught teachers new ways of being creative with their techniques to use to teach.”

Some El Paso schools such as Loretto have reinforced mask mandates and encourage students to get vaccinated as the cases continue to rise.