Safer at Home order thru April 30

After a two-hour special meeting on March 30, Dallas County commissioners voted 4-1 to extend the county’s emergency declaration until 11:59 p.m. May 20.

The special called session lasted over two hours. Judge Clay Jenkins participated in the meeting via an online feed.

Commissioner John Wiley Price voted against the extension, expressing frustration throughout the meeting that his precinct needed relief from the negative financial impact the shelter in place order was producing.

The court’s amended order will state that commissioners “continue working with the business community in addressing COVID-19 and the mitigations that have been recommended with the advice of the medical community in all of the decisions.”

In addition to extending Dallas County’s emergency declaration, Jenkins issued an amended order effective April 3 extending the county’s Safer At Home Order to April 30.

The amended order continues to restrict operations of non-essential businesses and orders individuals living within the county to shelter at their place of residence.

Non-essential businesses are required to cease all activities at their facilities except for basic operations.

Essential businesses are directed to have employees telecommute if those employees are not required to physically come to the workplace.

The order also continues to prohibit all elective medical, surgical and dental procedures.

As of Monday morning, Apr 6, Dallas County health officials reported 43 new cases of COVID-19. The total reported confirmed case count in the county increased to 1,155 with 18 total deaths to date.

Monday’s report is a significant drop from totals reported since April 1 which have averaged just below 100 new cases a day.

For more stories like this see the April 9 issue or subscribe online.

From Staff Reports • [email protected]