Judge Jenkins Files TRO Against Abbott Over Ability To Mandate Masks

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Dallas County COVID hospitalizationgraph

‘The Enemy is the Virus’

DALLAS — As cases continue to rise in Dallas County and hospitals are running out of room, Judge Jenkins filed a temporary restraining order against Governor Abbott, his statement is below.

“Earlier this evening I filed a Temporary Restraining Order and declaratory judgment in my official capacity as your Dallas County Judge against Governor Greg Abbott seeking to hold portions of GA 38 regarding mask mandates unenforceable.

 

The enemy is not each other. The enemy is the virus and we must all do all that we can to protect public health. School districts and government closest to the people should make decisions on how best to keep students and others safe.

 

I’ll do all I can to protect the public health and the people of Dallas County. I hope others will join me in following the science and listening to local doctors and the CDC to act swiftly and decisively.

 

This is about ensuring there’s adequate medical resources and, hospital bed capacity to take care of people with COVID and any other condition that requires medical care or hospitalization. Ultimately, it is about saving lives and saving and protecting children, ” said Dallas County Judge Clay Jenkins.

Dallas County Reports 796 New COVID-19 Cases

Dallas County Health and Human Services is reports 796 additional positive cases of 2019 novel coronavirus (COVID-19) in Dallas County, 718 confirmed cases and 78 probable cases. There is a cumulative total of 277,531 confirmed cases (PCR test). There is a cumulative total of 46,138 probable cases (antigen test).

A total of 4,227 Dallas County residents have lost their lives due to COVID-19 illness. Today’s press release includes the new case totals accumulated from Friday. Tomorrow’s press release will include the numbers of new cases from Saturday, Sunday and Monday.

A pop-up vaccination clinic at Fair Park will take place on Saturdays through September 18, from 8am-2pm in Lot 13 for Pfizer first and second doses.

 

The additional deaths being reported today include the following:

  • A man in his 40’s who was a resident of the City of Grand Prairie. He had been critically ill in an area hospital and had underlying high risk health conditions.
  • A man in his 60’s who was a resident of the City of Duncanville. He had been critically ill in an area hospital and had underlying high risk health conditions.
  • A man in his 80’swho was a resident of the City of Sachse. He expired in a facility and had underlying high risk health conditions.

To date, a total of 193 cases with SARS-CoV-2 variants of concern have been identified in residents of Dallas County, including: 146 cases of B.1.1.7 (Alpha) variants; three B.1.351 (Beta) variants; twenty-five B.1.617.2 (Delta) variants; and nineteen P.1 (Gamma) variants. Twenty-one have been hospitalized and three have died. One fully vaccinated patient subsequently became ill from B.1.1.7 infection and died.

The provisional seven-day average of daily new confirmed and probable cases (by date of test collection) for CDC week 30 (week ending 7/31/21), was 806, which is a rate of 30.6 daily new cases per 100,000 residents.

About 84% of COVID-19 cases diagnosed in Week 30 were Dallas County residents who were not fully vaccinated.

In Dallas County, 2,676 cases of COVID-19 breakthrough COVID-19 infections in fully vaccinated individuals have been confirmed to date, of which 325 (12.1%) were hospitalized and 34 have died due to COVID-19. Of all Dallas County residents tested for COVID-19 by PCR during the week ending 7/31/21 (CDC week 30), 14.6% of respiratory specimens tested positive for SARS-CoV-2.

For week 30, area hospital labs have continued to report elevated numbers and proportions of respiratory specimens that are positive for other respiratory viruses by molecular tests: parainfluenza (6%), rhinovirus/enterovirus (22%) and RSV (35%).

“Today we report 796 new cases and 3 death. Our hospital capacity continues to dwindle, and the Delta variant is spreading unchecked, with the UT Southwestern model indicating that we will have higher numbers than ever before, if we do not vaccinate at a faster rate and return to indoor masking. I am pleased that superintendent Michael Hinojosa has put into place a masking requirement for everyone on DISD campuses. This will undoubtedly save lives. Martin Luther King Jr. once said ‘a great man is one who knows that he was not put on this earth to be a part of a process through which a child can be hurt.’ Dr. Hinojosa is clearly a great man and his actions today will save lives. I hope that others will join him.

I think what you’ll see, and I hope what you’ll see, is more local leaders in government, schools, hospitals and businesses standing up to follow the science and protect public health. The enemy is not each other. The enemy is the virus and this is about saving lives. If you have not been vaccinated, please get vaccinated as soon as possible, and wear a mask when you’re in buildings outside your home,” said Dallas County Judge Clay Jenkins.