Judge Jenkins Asks Texans To Stay Out of Bars
Dallas- Dallas County Judge Clay Jenkins is asking Governor Abbott to look at the Open Texas documents and change “recommendations” to requirements. He mentions bars as an example, as a business that may be contributing to the spread. “Please stay out of the bar. Don’t go anywhere, any place where you can’t continuously wear your mask.”
Number of COVID-19 cases in Dallas County have increased 62% in June, the last 30 days have seen an increase of 136%. Jenkins admits, while yes an increase in testing will lead to more positive cases, the increase in hospitalizations are concerning.
Since June 1, there have been over 31 confirmed COVID-19 cases in children and staff in 18 separate childcare facilities in Dallas County. Plus, additional reports of associated illnesses in family members of affected children. While the Judge acknowledges working parents need daycare facilities, he believes there are ways to make them safer.
He’s also asking the Governor to require daycares to have children over 2 years old wear masks. Whether the Governor puts it in place or not, he appeals to the parents, and says make sure your daycare is keeping groups separate, etc. Make sure the kids aren’t using playground equipment other groups are using.
Dallas County COVID-19 Testing Capability
Testing capability remains an issue in Dallas County, and asks the Federal Government to please continue supporting COVID-19 testing. Parkland Hospital has a machine that can conduct 1500 COVID-19 tests per day with a 1 to 2 day turnaround on results. However, the hospital is lacking the reagents to run the machine. Additionally, Parkland is in short supply of nasal swabs. Dallas is asking the federal government to assist with supplies.
In regards to the 4th of July, Jenkins is presenting an order to the Commissioners Court asking for crowd size to be restricted to no more than 100.
Jenkins recognizes masks can be uncomfortable, especially in the Texas heat, but he reminds residents a ventilator isn’t more comfortable.
In today’s Dallas County COVID-19 report, the county reports 403 additional positive cases of 2019 novel coronavirus (COVID-19),and six additional deaths. That brings the total case count in Dallas County to 18,538, including 334 deaths.
The additional 6 deaths being reported today include:
- A man in his 60’s who was a resident of the City of Dallas. He had been hospitalized, and did not have underlying high risk health conditions.
- A woman in her 70’s who was a resident of the City of Dallas. She expired in an area hospital ED, and did not have underlying high risk health conditions.
- A man in his 70’s who was a resident of the City of Dallas. He had been critically ill in an area hospital, and did not have underlying high risk health conditions.
- A man in his 80’s who was a resident of the City of Dallas. He had been critically ill in an area hospital, and did not have underlying high risk health conditions.
- A man in his 80’s who was a resident of a long-term care facility in the City of Dallas. He expired in the facility, and had underlying high risk health conditions.
- A woman in her 80’s who was a resident of the City of Dallas. She had been critically ill in an area hospital, and did not have underlying high risk health conditions.
Jenkins Wants More Restrictions From Governor or More Local Authority
“Today’s numbers continue the trend of increasing hospitalizations and new COVID-19 positive cases. Additionally, we are beginning to see more spread amongst children in daycare and young people who attend bars or work in the service industries. Today the Governor stopped elective surgeries in hospitals in Dallas County and this will increase hospital capacity, as less people will need beds to recuperate from elective surgery. This move was necessary due to the wave of new COVID-19 cases we are seeing that are beginning to fill up the hospitals.
Additionally, I am encouraging our surrounding counties to institute a requirement on businesses to ensure the wearing of face masks and am calling on the Governor to make the face mask ordinance statewide. I’m also calling on the Governor to make the recommendations in the Open Texas documents into requirements, if not statewide, then at least for the counties and regions like DFW and the Harris County metro area.
In May, when the Governor took over the COVID-19 response from the local leaders, he restricted our ability to either keep the ordinances in place that we had or work with business and healthcare to create new ones. At this point with the speed of the spread, it would be most beneficial if the Governor would act on a regional or statewide basis to quickly follow the advice of the top doctors on infectious disease, epidemiology, and public health in Harris, Dallas, Bexar and Travis Counties. Barring that, restoring the traditional powers of local leaders to deal with emergencies would allow us more tools to try to reverse this disturbing trend,” said Dallas County Judge Clay Jenkins.
