Coronavirus: Williamson County Implements Shelter-In-Place-Order

WILLIAMSON COUNTY, TX — The county judge ordered a shelter-in-place order for Williamson County on Tuesday amid the growing threat of the new coronavirus pandemic.

Calling it a Stay Home Stay Safe order, the measure took effect at 11:59 p.m. and is in effect until April 13. The move is designed to mitigate the spread of respiratory illness, officials said. The order came as county health officials upped the coronavirus illness count in the county to 19 confirmed cases, three of which emanated from Round Rock.

“We know that a virus knows no boundaries, so our Williamson County cities have come together and are united in this fight," Williamson County Judge Bill Gravell said in a prepared statement. "We are joining our neighboring counties to show that we stand together to provide safety in the region.

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Gravell was joined by other county officials in Austin to announced a county-wide shelter-in-place order for the region, including Williamson County Health Authority Lori Palazzo, Cedar Park Mayor Corbin Van Arsdale and Williamson County Sheriff Robert Chody.

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Despite the extreme measure, officials noted, residents are still able to leave their homes but only for essential needs — such as purchasing food, retrieving medicine at pharmacies, visiting the bank and the like. The order also exempts those availing themselves of government services or to perform construction, including housing.

“This action is needed because we have to take additional steps today to keep our healthcare system from being overwhelmed in coming weeks,” Round Rock Mayor Craig Morgan said in a prepared statement. “We’ve done a good job in Round Rock and Central Texas to limit the spread of the coronavirus, but we can do better.”

As part of the order, all non-essential businesses are ordered to close under the county directives, leaving only hospitals, fire departments, law enforcement and limited essential businesses including grocery stores and pharmacies open.

Essential activities and essential businesses during this order include but are not limited to:

• Tasks that are essential to maintain health and safety, such as going to the hospital, obtaining medicine from pharmacies, clinics, veterinary offices and other healthcare service facilities.
• Getting necessary supplies for you, your family or household members, such as groceries, pet food, food bank, farmers’ markets, convenience stores, carry-out or delivery restaurants, and other essentials for staying at home.
• Getting to work for essential businesses or services, including roles needed to maintain basic operations such as security, payroll, and similar activities.
• Engaging in outdoor activities, such as walking, hiking or running—just as long as you maintain at least 6 feet of physical distancing.
• Caring for a family member in another household, and caring for elderly people, minors, dependents, people with disabilities or other vulnerable persons.
• Childcare facilities providing services that enable essential employees to continue functioning.
• Gas stations and auto repair facilities.
• Banks and financial institutions.
• Critical infrastructure including energy, water, solid waste collection and other governmental services.
• Hardware stores, plumbers, electricians, and other service providers necessary to maintain the safety, sanitation, and essential operation of residences and other essential businesses.
• Educational institutions, for the purposes of facilitating distance learning.
• Businesses that provide social services and necessities of life for economically disadvantaged individuals and shelter facilities.

With this order in place, county officials said, the goal is to prevent exceeding hospital capacity and to avoid overwhelming the health care system by flattening the curve and reducing the spread of the coronavirus.

To ensure the health and safety of Williamson County residents, Gravell previously issued a disaster declaration on March 14 to activate the emergency management plan — a measure that enables the county to allocate resources, utilize personnel and enact procedures to prevent the spread of COVID-19 in Williamson County. It also allows for state assistance to be requested if local resources and mutual aid are insufficient.

Under the local disaster declaration, officials explained, 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.

In issuing the order, Williamson County officials issued advice to avert illness spread: If you have symptoms of respiratory illness including cough, fever and shortness of breath, please contact your health care provider. It is important to call ahead before arriving at a clinic, urgent care or emergency department to avoid potential spread. For more information, visit www.wcchd.org/COVID-19 or wilco.org/COVID-19.