Coronavirus: WilCo Judge Declares Local State Of Disaster

WILLIAMSON COUNTY, TX — Williamson County Judge Bill Gravell on Saturday declared a local state of disaster for the area designed to limit the development, contraction and spread of the new coronoavirus.

Now called COVID-19, the respiratory ailment 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. Gravell's action follows similar declarations previously made by Austin Mayor Steve Adler, the U.S. president and the governor of the state. Gravell said his action was informed by insight from the Williamson County Office of Emergency Management, the Williamson County and Cities Health District, Texas Department of State Health Services and other emergency services agencies.

As of today, more than 1,600 confirmed cases of COVID-19 and more than 40 deaths from the disease have been reported in the U.S., Gravell noted. Texas Gov. Greg Abbot reported a total of 39 confirmed cases of COVID-19 in the State of Texas, as of March 13. Moreover, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention expects that more cases of COVID-19 are likely to be identified in the U.S. in the coming days.

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Gravell noted not confirmed cases of COVID-19 have been reported in Williamson County. Still, the disaster declaration is designed to ensure the health and safety of residents and to trigger the county emergency management plan. This will allow the County to allocate resources, utilize personnel and enact procedures to prevent the spread of COVID-19 in Williamson County, the judge explained. It also allows for state assistance to be requested if local resources and mutual aid are insufficient, Gravell added.

Under the local disaster declaration, the county Judge is given the authority to exercise any and all necessary powers set out under the Texas Disaster Act of Texas Government Code Chapter 418, he noted.

“We are prepared to protect our residents, and ask that you remain calm and continue to practice the preventative measures outlined by the CDC," Gravell said in a prepared statement, referring to the Atlanta-based Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. "These simple steps will help by reducing the spread of disease to the point where our healthcare system can maintain capacity and properly care for our communities.”

Preventative measures include:

• Wash your hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds. If soap and water are not available, use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer.
• Avoid touching your eyes, nose, and mouth with unwashed hands.
• Avoid close contact with people who are sick.
• Stay home if you are sick.
• Cover your cough or sneeze with a tissue, then throw the tissue in the trash.
• Get a flu shot.
• Clean and disinfect frequently touched objects and surfaces.

Williamson County continues to monitor this ongoing and fluid situation closely with the Williamson County and Cities Health District, Gravell said. Updates will be posted to the website at www.wilco.org and on social media.