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DALLAS – Collin County is the most recent Dallas-area government to order all residents to stay-at-home to prevent the spread of COVID-19.
"All persons in Collin County are hereby ordered to stay home, except for travel related to essential activities," Collin County Judge Chris Hill wrote in his March 24 order. "Entertainment activities are not considered essential activities."
More North Texas local governments joined the call by Dallas County Judge Clay Jenkins and others to match his stay-at-home order to fight the spread of COVID-19.
Hill's order tells local businesses and employees in essential businesses to take steps necessary to prevent the spread of the coronavirus, including social distancing, to make workplaces safe.
“Where social distancing is not possible in the normal course of business activities, extreme care should be taken to reduce the risk of exposure to, and transmittal of, germs and COVID-19,” he said in his order.
Collin County had 53 positive cases and at least one death as of Monday night, the Texas Department of State Health Services reported.
Dallas Mayor Eric Johnson and Fort Worth Mayor Betsy Price signed emergency stay-at-home orders for their cities on Tuesday. Denton County Judge Andy Eades signed a similar order as well. Rockwall County Judge David Sweet’s shelter-in-place order mirrors those orders, with the latest scheduled end date so far of April 15, though all the orders are subject to change. Kaufman County Judge Hal Richards also issued a shelter-in-place order.
But in Dallas, Denton, Rockwall and Kaufman counties, and the cities within them, the definition of essential businesses is much more restrictive. These include grocery stores, pharmacies and other stores selling household goods remain open. They must enforce social distancing. Restaurants are limited to take-out and delivery only.
All travel in these counties is restricted other than essential business. The essential business includes traveling to work at an essential business, for healthcare, getting food and supplies and going outside to exercise. Elective medical procedures of any kind are banned as are religious gatherings other than by video.
Johnson also copied Dallas County’s restrictions on toilet paper sales.
“Due to increased demand for bath or toilet tissue resulting from stock up buying and individuals who purchase for resale, a mandatory limit on toilet paper sales is instituted until the supply chain meets the demand or two weeks, whichever comes first,” Jenkins said in his stay-at-home order.
In both Denton and Kaufman counties, residents can be arrested and face a $1,000 fine and a 180-day jail sentence if they violate shelter-in-place orders.
Dallas County has reported 303 positive COVID-19 cases and 5 deaths. Denton had 70 cases with no deaths as of Thursday. State officials reported 1,396 positive cases statewide with 18 deaths.
Until Tuesday, it seemed every city and county put different restrictions on gatherings and business closures. In Dallas County, Jenkins said to slow the spread of COVID-19, that must change.
“We cannot have hodgepodge enforcement,” Jenkins told NBC-DFW.
He also called on Gov. Greg Abbott to push for uniform policies.
“This is too widespread. We need our neighbors to help us and help ourselves,” he told NBC-DFW.
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