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Due to the coronavirus outbreak, residents in Collin County have been immediately ordered to stay home to help prevent the spread. However, even though there is a shelter in place directive, it is significantly more lenient than Dallas County's order in that businesses are allowed to stay open.
Collin County put its order in effect on March 24, following Dallas County's issuance of an order. However, Dallas closed all non-essential businesses whereas Collin did not. Collin County Judge Chris Hill believes it is important to keep people working to reduce the economic strain.
Backed by several mayors in the surrounding cities such as McKinney, Celina and Frisco, as well as other city officials, Hill repeated several times that all jobs are considered essential. Mayor Jeff Cheney stated that the orders in Collin County are not much different than the surrounding counties, but that changes will be made as needed to the shelter in place rules. The order focuses on the economy and making sure local businesses can remain open.
Hill said businesses, outside of entertainment businesses, can remain open as long as residents are practicing proper social distancing. It is said that people need to limit gatherings to 10 people or less, per the governor's order as well. The order does close down some businesses – theaters and other venues of entertainment that are unable to practice the social distancing rule.
Mayor George Fuller of McKinney had said that the cities in Collin County want to adopt the shelter in place rules that Dallas County has. Fuller said mayors in other cities wanted to take a more aggressive approach to stop the spread of the virus.
“Judge Hill did not agree with those more aggressive actions,” Fuller said, adding that he was still reviewing the county order, which he said left a lot to be clarified. “I believe there is a lot of confusion, and I understand the confusion based on the order as it was presented."
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