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HUNT COUNTY APRIL 14, 2020 SHELTER IN PLACE ORDER INCLUDING INFORMATION WITH RESPECT TO GOVERNOR ABBOTT EXECUTIVE ORDERS RELATING TO THE SAFE, STRATEGIC REOPENING OF SELECT SERVICES

 

On April 17, 2020 Governor Greg Abbott issued several Executive Orders related to the safe, strategic reopening of select services in the State of Texas.  These Executive Orders work in conjunction with the Amended Hunt County shelter in place order of April 14, 2020 (Hunt County Commissioners Court Resolution No. 16,050 which amended the April 3, 2020 “Shelter in Place” order and the March 23, 2020 “First Amended Shelter in Place” order and extended the same to 11:59 p.m. on April 30, 2020 (the “Amended Shelter in Place Order”)).

 

In the interest of aiding the public in determining what activities they may and may not participate in outside of their residences during this time of Shelter in Place and in light of the Governor’s Executive Orders related to the safe, strategic reopening of select services we have summarized the Governor’s relevant Executive Orders together with guidance related to the same and compiled the below list of allowable and not allowable activities.

 

Please review the Governor’s Executive Orders, the Hunt County Amended Shelter in Place Order, the Essential Services/TDEM Essential Critical Infrastructure Workforce information (www.tdem.texas.gov/essentialservices) and this list of Frequently Asked Questions carefully before submitting a new question.  Due to the high volume of questions we are receiving we are not able to re-answer questions that have already been addressed in the Amended Shelter in Place Order, TDEM essential services information or this document.

 

In general, all persons may leave their residences only in accordance with guidance from Texas DSHS Commissioner Dr. Hellerstedt and only:

1.      As necessary to provide or obtain Essential Services (as defined in Paragraph 3(a) of the Amended Shelter in Place Order and summarized below);

2.      As necessary to provide or obtain Reopened Services in accordance with Governor Abbott’s Executive Order GA-16 (available here https://gov.texas.gov/uploads/files/press/EO-GA-16_Opening_Texas_COVID-19_FINAL_04-17-2020.pdf).  “Reopened Services” means: 

a.      Starting at 12:01 a.m. on Friday, April 24, 2020, retail services that may be provided through pick-up, delivery by mail or delivery to the customer’s doorstep in strict compliance with the terms required by DSHS (available here www.dshs.texas.gov/coronavirus) summarized as follows:

                                                                  i.      All employees of Reopened Services must be trained on environmental cleaning and disinfection, hand hygiene, and respiratory etiquette;

                                                                ii.      All employees of Reopened Services must be screened before coming into the business for new or worsening cough; shortness of breath; sore throat; loss of taste or smell; feeling feverish or a measured temperature greater than or equal to 100.0 degrees Fahrenheit; or known close contact with a person who is lab-confirmed to have COVID-19.  Any employee who meets any of these criteria should be sent home.

                                                               iii.      Upon entering the Reopened business and after each interaction with a customer, employees must wash and/or sanitize hands and after each interaction with a customer employees must, whenever possible, disinfect any item that came into contact with the customer;

                                                               iv.      All employees of Reopened Services must wear face coverings;

                                                                v.      All employees of Reopened Services must maintain at least 6 feet separation from one another;

                                                               vi.      Customers may purchase items from a Reopened Service from a retail location for pick-up, delivery by mail or delivery to the customer’s doorstep, but may not enter the premises;

                                                             vii.      Customer’s should wash and/or sanitize their hand after a transaction with a Reopened Service.

                                                            viii.      All payments to Reopened Services should be done over the phone or internet if possible and if remote payment is not possible then contact should be minimized;

                                                               ix.      Purchased items should be delivered as follows:

1.      Retail to-go:  By an employee of the Reopened Service to the backseat or trunk of the customer’s vehicle whenever possible to minimize physical contact with the customer;

2.      Retail delivery to customer’s doorstep:  By an employee of the Reopened Service or a third-party carrier to the customer’s doorstep (the delivery employee or third-party carrier may not enter the customer’s house or business)

3.      Retail delivery by mail:  By mail without customer contact; and/or

b.      Such additional services as may be enumerated by future executive orders or proclamations by the governor;

3.      In accordance with Governor Abbot’s Executive Order GA-15 relating to hospital capacity during the COVID-19 disaster (available here https://gov.texas.gov/uploads/files/press/EO-GA-15_hospital_capacity_COVID-19_TRANS_04-17-2020.pdf) and summarized as follows:

a.      Starting at 11:59 p.m. on April 21, 2020, and continuing until 11:59 p.m. on May 8, 2020:  All licensed health care professionals and all licensed health care facilities shall postpone all surgeries and procedures that are not medically necessary to diagnose or correct a serious medical condition of, or to preserve the life of, a patient who without timely performance of the surgery or procedure would be at risk for serious adverse medical consequences or death, as determined by the patient’s physician; provided, however, that this prohibition shall not apply to either of the following:

                                                                  i.      Any procedure that, if performed in accordance with the commonly accepted standard of clinical practice, would not deplete the hospital capacity or the personal protective equipment needed to cope with the COVID-19 disaster; or

                                                                ii.      Any surgery or procedure performed in a licensed health care facility that has certified in writing to the Texas Health and Human Services Commission both:

1.      That it will reserve at least 25% of its hospital capacity for treatment of COVID-19 patients, accounting for the range of clinical severity of COVID-19 patients; and

2.      That it will not request any personal protective equipment from any public source, whether federal, state, or local, for the duration of the COVID-19 disaster; and/or

4.      To engage in essential daily activities (as specified in Paragraph 3(g) of the Amended Shelter in Place Order).

 

All businesses operating in Hunt County, except businesses providing Essential Services and/or Reopened Services are required to cease all activities at facilities located within in the county.

 

Businesses providing Essential Services and/or Reopened Services may consider providing a letter to employees to allow for travel to, from and in support of Essential Services and/or Reopened Services.   If a business providing Essential Services and/or Reopened Services wishes to provide such a letter it may consider including the name of the employee, the name of the business, and the type of essential and/or reopened service the business provides.  At this point Essential Service and/or Reopened Service “credentials” are permitted and encouraged but are not required.  The County trusts that our citizens will be personally responsible and will protect themselves and their community by strictly abiding by the Amended Shelter in Place requirements and Governor Abbott’s executive orders and proclamations without need for presentation of “credentials.”   If personal responsibility and compliance becomes a problem the necessity of credentials will be reconsidered.

 

The Hunt County Amended Shelter in Place Order applies to residents of Hunt County and businesses operating within Hunt County.

 

In providing or obtaining Essential Services and/or Reopened Services people and businesses should follow the guidelines from the President and the CDC by practicing good hygiene, environmental cleanliness and sanitation, implementing social distancing, which includes maintaining six foot social distance for both employees and the general public, and working from home if at all possible.  In particular, all such services should be provided through remote telework from home unless they cannot be provided through remote telework.

This list is based on Hunt County’s current understanding of State and Federal Law and will be updated as new questions are submitted.  If you have a question about allowable activities during this time, please submit the same through the link on the County’s COVID-19 page.

Allowed During Shelter In Place

Not Allowed During Shelter In Place

-Essential Critical Infrastructure:  Everything listed in the CISA guidance on essential critical infrastructure workforce,v2.0 www.tdem.texas.gov/essentialservices) which essential critical services fall into the following general categories: (1) Healthcare/Public Health (not elective procedures), (2) Law Enforcement, Public Safety and Other First Responders, (3) Food and Agriculture, (4) Energy (electricity industry, petroleum industry, natural gas, propane and other liquid fuels), (5) Water and Wastewater, (6) Transportation and Logistics, (7) Public Works and Infrastructure Support Services, (8) Communications and Information Technology, (9) Other Community or Government Based Operations and Essential Functions, (10) Critical Manufacturing, (11) Hazardous Materials, (12) Financial Services, (13) Chemical, (14) Defense Industrial Base, (15) Commercial Facilities, (16) Residential/Shelter Facilities and Services, and (17) Hygiene Products and Services.

-Religious Services: Religious services conducted in churches, congregations, and houses of worship.  Such religions services should be conducted in accordance with the Guidelines for Houses of Worship During the COVID-19 Crisis, as promulgated by the attorney general and governor as follows:  (1) Houses of worship should conduct as many of their activities as possible remotely.  Services that houses of worship cannot conduct remotely should be conducted in accordance with guidance from the White House and the CDC as follows: (a) instruct sick employees, volunteers and guests to stay home, (b) practice social distancing by maintaining appropriate distance between people, (c) maintain good hygiene by washing your hands frequently, using hand sanitizer, using your elbow to cover coughs, and not touching your face; (d) implement environmental cleanliness and sanitization practices, and (e) clean and disinfect work areas frequently.  In addition, like providers of other essential services, houses of worship are to follow additional guidance from the White House and CDC whenever possible.  (2) Houses of worship should help to slow the spread of the virus and may use creativity and consider implementing the following practices: (a) holding “drive-in” style services, (b) provide communion or a blessing through a similar drive-up service, (c) encourage all attendees who are 65 and above to stay home and watch the services online, or provide a “senior service” exclusively for attendees 65 and above to attend in person, (d) ask all attendees who have an underlying at-risk health condition to stay home and watch the services online, (e) equip ushers and greeters with gloves and masks, (f) consider keeping child care closed, unless the house of worship can comply with CDC guidelines for child care facilities, (g) ensure all attendees sanitize their hands and put on a mask before entering the building, (h) ensure attendees sit with their family unit, use social distancing between each unit, and, if necessary, add more service times to facilitate distancing, (i) clergy should dismiss attendees by family unit, maintaining social distancing, (k) staff should sanitize seats and frequently touched services between services, (l) consider refraining from passing collection plates and instead provide a central collection box in the building or encourage online giving, and (m) consider how the sacraments can be administered without attendees having to touch the same surfaces and objects.

-Essential Retail:  (1) Food service providers, including grocery stores, warehouse stores, big-box stores, bodegas, liquor stores, gas stations and convenience stores, farmers’ markets that sell food products and household staples, (2) Food cultivation, including farming, fishing, and livestock, (3) Businesses that ship or deliver groceries, food, goods or services directly to residences, (4) Restaurants and other facilities that prepare and serve food, but only for delivery or carry out (the restriction of delivery and carry out does not apply to cafes and restaurants located within hospitals and medical facilities), (5) Schools and other entities that typically provide free services to students or members of the public on a pick-up and take-away basis only, (6) Laundromats, dry cleaners, and laundry service providers, (7) Gas stations, auto-supply, auto and bicycle repair, hardware stores, and related facilities, (8) Businesses that supply products needed for people to work from home.

-Providers of Basic Necessities to Economically Disadvantaged Populations: Businesses that provide food, shelter and social services, and other necessities of life for economically disadvantaged or otherwise needy individuals.

-Essential Services Necessary to Maintain Essential Operations of Residences or Other Essential Businesses:

(1) Trash and recycling collection, processing and disposal, (2) Mail and shipping services, (3) Building cleaning, maintenance and security, (4) Warehouse/distribution and fulfillment, (5) Storage for essential businesses, (6) Funeral homes, crematoriums and cemeteries, (7) Plumbers, electricians, exterminators and other service providers who provide services that are necessary to maintaining the safety, sanitation and essential operations of residences and providers of Essential Services, (8) Professional services (such as legal or accounting services) when necessary to assist in compliance with legally mandated activities, (9) Businesses that supply providers of Essential Services with support or supplies needed to operate

    

-News Media: Newspapers, television, radio and other media services.

-Childcare Services: Childcare facilities providing services that enable employees exempted from the Amended Shelter in Place Order to work as permitted.

-Auto Sales: Auto-dealerships, for in-person mechanical services or to complete an online transaction or an appointment-only basis provided that the same be carried out in compliance with the rules for essential retail establishments set out in Exhibit “A” of the Dallas County Order accessible at http://www.dallascounty.org/Assets/uploads/docs/covid-19/orders-media/040220-AmendedOrder.pdf.

-Reopened Retail Services:  Starting at 12:01 a.m. on Friday, April 24, 2020, retail services that are not “essential services” but that may be provided through pick-up, delivery by mail, or delivery to the customer’s doorstep in strict compliance with the terms required by DSHS (located here www.dshs.texas.gov/coronavirus).

-Engaging in essential daily activities: Essential daily activities, such as the following, are permitted so long as the necessary the necessary social distancing precautions are maintained and in-person contact with people who are not in the same household are minimized to the fullest extent possible: (1) tasks essential to the health and safety of your family, household members or pets (ie: obtaining medical supplies/medication, visiting a health care professional, obtaining supplies needed to work from home), (2) to obtain necessary services or supplies for yourself, your family, your household members, your pets or to delivery those services or supplies to others (ie: food, pet supplies, household consumer products and products necessary to maintain the safety, sanitation and essential operation of residences), (3) to engage in outdoor activity (ie: walking, biking, hiking, running, fishing, hunting), (4) to care for a family member or pet in another household.

- Businesses who do not meet one of the allowable exclusions referenced in the “allowed during shelter in place” column.

-Activities that do not meet one of the allowable exclusions referenced in the “allowed during shelter in place” column. 

-All public or private gatherings of any number of people occurring outside a single household or living unit unless allowable under an exclusion referenced in the “allowed during shelter in place” column.

-Elective medical, surgical, dental and veterinary procedures (hospitals, ambulatory surgery centers, dental offices, veterinary offices and other medical facilities will identify procedures that are deemed “elective”) as determined by healthcare providers in accordance with Executive Order GA-15.

-Outdoor activity that does not comply with social distancing requirements of six feet (i.e.: pickup basketball games, sports practices, outdoor play dates).

-Exercise gyms and similar facilities.

-Massage establishments.

-Tattoo studios and piercing studios.

- Cosmetology studios (including, without limitation, hair salons, barbershops, nail salons, tanning salons, spas and the like).

-Visits to nursing homes, state supported living centers, assisted living facilities, or long-term health care facilities (unless to provide critical assistance as determined by the TX Health and Human Services Commission).

-Pet grooming services, including mobile pet grooming services, are not Essential Services and may not remain open unless information from TDEM advises otherwise. (While Hunt County previously counted pet grooming as an essential activity, a change in status of this activity was necessitated by new information).

-Vapor (Vape) shops and CBD retailers are not Essential Services and may not remain open for normal operations, but starting at 12:01 a.m. on Friday, April 24, 2020 may reopen as a Reopened Service for retail services provided through pick-up, delivery by mail or delivery to the customer’s doorstep in strict compliance with the terms required by DSHS.

-Car washes (with or without employees onsite) are not Essential Services and may not remain open.

-Tobacco stores that do not also provide check cashing and bill pay, business services or grocery items are not Essential Services and may not remain open for normal operations, but starting at 12:01 a.m. on Friday, April 24, 2020 may reopen as a Reopened Service for retail services provided through pick-up, delivery by mail or delivery to the customer’s doorstep in strict compliance with the terms required by DSHS.

-Golf clubs, country clubs and the like are not Essential Services and may not remain open except for the limited purposes of (1) provision of food services in line with the take-out rules elsewhere in this guidance and (2) golf cart rental in compliance with the directive in the Amended Shelter in Place order that golf carts be fully-sanitized after each user comes into contact with the equipment.

-Saddlery businesses are do not meet an Essential Service exception and may not remain open for normal operations, but starting at 12:01 a.m. on Friday, April 24, 2020 may reopen as a Reopened Service for retail services provided through pick-up, delivery by mail or delivery to the customer’s doorstep in strict compliance with the terms required by DSHS.

- Recreational drives in the car are not an essential activity and are not permitted.

­-Apparel, clothing and shoe stores do not meet an Essential Service exception and may not remain open for normal operations, but starting at 12:01 a.m. on Friday, April 24, 2020 may reopen as a Reopened Service for retail services provided through pick-up, delivery by mail or delivery to the customer’s doorstep in strict compliance with the terms required by DSHS.

-Furniture stores, mattress stores and the like do not meet an Essential Service exception and may not remain open for normal operations, but starting at 12:01 a.m. on Friday, April 24, 2020 may reopen as a Reopened Service for retail services provided through pick-up, delivery by mail or delivery to the customer’s doorstep in strict compliance with the terms required by DSHS.

-Camping, in a tent or otherwise and whether in Hunt County or another county, is not an essential activity and is not permitted unless your camp site is on your property.

-Yard sales, patio sales, garage sales and the like do not meet an Essential Service and are not permitted.

                                                                                

-Businesses that provide packs, shipping and business services (ie: copy services, fax services, etc.) fall within an Essential Service exception and are permitted.

-Businesses that install, replace and/or maintain gutters are Essential Services.

-Texas A&M University-Commerce library has been deemed essential by the university administration.

-Home remodeling businesses or providers that provide services necessary to maintain the safety, sanitation and essential operation of residences are an Essential Service and may remain open.

-Moving to a different residence falls within an essential exception and is allowed, but strongly discouraged.

-Appliance delivery is an Essential Service.

--Businesses that repair motor vehicles, including RVs, motorcycles, ATVs, watercraft and other means of transportation are Essential Services and may remain open.

                

-Tobacco stores that provide check cashing and bill payment, grocery items and/or businesses services, or are operated in conjunction with a gas station or convenience store are Essential Services and may remain open.

-Landscape and lawn maintenance services are Essential Services may remain open.

-HVAC installation, service and maintenance are Essential Services.

-“12 step programs” are Essential Services and may remain open, but to the extent online options are a suitable alternative the same are recommended during this time.

-Childcare facilities and providers ( in a child care facility, in home child care or in the home of the child) that enable employees exempted in the Amended Shelter in Place Order to work as permitted (i.e., healthcare workers, linemen, Essential Service provider employees) are an Essential Service and are allowed.

-Gun and ammunition sales, supplies and service and archery sales, supplies and service re Essential Services for purposes of safety and security and in furtherance of food cultivation.

-Custom cabinet shops are Essential Services.

--Residential and commercial real estate services, including settlement services are Essential Services, but should be provided through remote telework from home unless the same cannot be provided through remote telework in which case appropriate social distancing measures must be followed.

-Residential leasing services are Essential Services but should be provided through remote telework from home unless the same cannot be provided through remote telework in which case appropriate social distancing measures must be followed.

-Transportation by motorcycle is permitted provided the same is part of an essential activity and/or means of transport to/from an Essential Service.  In the event that motorcycle transportation is used as a permitted outdoor activity the same should include no stops, other than at an Essential Service provide, and appropriate social distancing measure of six feet should be observed at all times.

-Open spaces are allowed, and exercise is strongly encouraged to the extent that social distancing rules are followed at all times.  This includes public and private trails, open spaces, green belts, park spaces (not including picnic tables and playgrounds) and outdoor golf activities.  Allowable golf activities do not include clubhouses or outdoor dining or bar, except to the extent that the same is provided as pick-up or take-away in accordance with the Amended Shelter in Place Order, and any course remaining open under this guidance must enforce social distancing requirements and remove all items or enforce rules related to items touched by multiple people (i.e., remove or disable ball washers, drinking fountains, rakes, etc., and leave pins in place or raise cup liners). To maintain distance, no more than three players per hole should be allowed.  To the extent golf cart rental is available, each cart must be fully sanitized after each use.

- Golf course maintenance and park maintenance is allowed

- Municipal golf course openings are up to individual cities, but must follow these general rules

-Fishing, by boat or from shore, including travel to and from the fishing location, is an essential activity and allowed so long as social distancing requirements of six feet are maintained.

-Insurance agencies are an Essential Service.

-Utilizing post office and shipping services (including travel to and from post office and shipping carrier locations) is an Essential Service and is allowed.

-Residential cleaning services or independent contractors are Essential Services.  Commercial cleaning services or independent are Essential Services to the extent that the same is necessary to maintain the safety, sanitation, and essential operations of businesses performing Essential Services.  Carpet cleaning services may operate (or not) in the same situations that cleaning services and independent contractors are allowed to operate.

-Veterinary care is an Essential Service and is allowed for non-elective services and procedures (elective procedure are prohibited).  Veterinarians are directed to identify which services and procedures are essential and which are elective.

-Attendance of a gathering or service in a funeral home, at a crematorium or in a cemetery is an Essential Service and is allowed provided that social distancing requirements of 6 feet are maintained between attendees not of the same household.

-Residents of another county who own property or a second home in Hunt County and/or residents of Hunt County who own property or a second home inside or outside of Hunt County may travel for the purpose of maintenance of that property.  However, travel between properties or between homes is strongly discouraged.

Updated at 3:30 pm on April 23, 2020.

 

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