Coronavirus: Pflugerville Cancels City Events, Limits Crowd Sizes

PFLUGERVILE, TX — The City of Pflugerville has canceled municipal events and programs through May 1 and banned large gatherings in light of the new coronavirus outbreak, the mayor announced this weekend.

Mayor Victor Gonzales outlined the measures in a letter to the community on Sunday. The prohibition on large gatherings is patterned after the one in Travis County that bans events of a minimum of 250 people from assembling.

The outbreak of the respiratory ailment now called COVID-19 is caused by a member of the coronavirus family that’s a close cousin to the SARS and MERS viruses that have caused outbreaks in the past. The World Health Organization has termed the outbreak a pandemic given its far-reaching spread globally.

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To date, no positive COVID-19 have emerged from Pflugerville. Austin Public Health over the weekend upped its illness count to six in Travis County.

"Over the last few days, as cases arise in the Central Texas area, it has become a more alarming and serious issue for our country, state, and of course, our city," Gonzales wrote. "I want you to know that we are doing all we can in regards to coordinating and collaborating with local agencies and health officials. We want to learn and know as much as possible so we can execute effectively to keep this pandemic at a minimum."

He explained the need to implement measures desgigned to mitigate the potential for illness spread: "Our main objective is to reduce the transmission of this disease. Therefore, the City of Pflugerville is moving forward with the same message as Travis County’s declaration regarding communal gatherings. As of today, March 15, 2020, the City of Pflugerville is limiting the gatherings of 250 people or more citywide and discouraging concentrated crowds or gatherings, regardless of size."

Related story: Coronavirus: Austin Bans Events With 250 Attendees

The 250-person ban still is far more accommodating than revised guidelines issued on Sunday by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention urging cancellation of events with as few as 50 attendees. Given such suggestions, Pflugerville officials are strongly encouraging a suspension of events with fewer attendees than the gatherings now officially banned.

"We ask all civic organizations, faith-based organizations, volunteer organizations, nonprofits and others to reduce programs and gathering opportunities," Gonzales wrote. "Concentrated crowds, regardless of the size, are discouraged. Many corporate partners have already begun to allow employees to work from home where possible, in addition to providing helpful health education materials in the work environment. We all play a part in combating the coronavirus, and over the next few weeks our efforts must pay off."

The mayor dispensed what is now 0ft-repeated advice related to hygiene as a tactic of avoiding getting sick or inadvertently spreading the COVID-19 virus: "Proper hand washing and precautions with exposure to areas that could possibly be contagious are critical. More importantly, now we must exercise social distancing to lower our exposure. Thinking twice about gatherings, events, and activities that compound community transmission is very important."

He also urged residents to stay indoors: "By staying home if we feel ill and keeping distance from each other, we can help limit the transmission of the disease. We all must play our part to ensure that as few people as possible are unintentionally exposed to the coronavirus."

Further municipal updates are accessible at www.pflugervilletx.gov. "I ask for your cooperation and help to keep our city COVID-19 free," the mayor concluded.