SHELTER-IN-PLACE ORDER ISSUED FOR BRAZOS CO.
Brazos County, along with the cities of Bryan and College Station, have issued a shelter-in-place order to further limit the spread of COVID-19.
The order goes into effect tonight (Tuesday) at 9 p.m. and lasts through April 7th, although officials at a press conference Monday said the order could be extended.
The order is not a lockdown, so residents are still allowed to leave their homes for essential activities, government functions are still permitted, and essential businesses are still allowed to operate. Travel is limited under the order.
Residents under the shelter-in-place order can still go out to get food and other supplies; engage in activities like walking, riding bicycles, and exercising; care for a family member or friend; and go to medical appointments after first checking with their healthcare provider.
The order prohibits going to work unless an essential service is being provided, visiting friends and family if there is no urgent reason to do so, getting closer than six feet to others, gathering in groups of more than ten people, and visiting loved ones in medical or long-term care facilities.
Essential businesses include—but are not limited to—banks, gas stations, grocery stores, media services, laundry service providers, restaurants with pick-up options, child care facilities, schools, and religious service providers. Essential businesses are encouraged to determine which staff are essential to operations, and to send non-essential staff home.
All non-essential businesses will shut down aside for maintaining minimum basic operations, meaning the minimum necessary to maintain inventory, ensure security, process payroll, and allow employees to be able to work remotely.
Residents are asked to follow all social distancing requirements as recommended by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and local health authorities.
The full shelter-in-place order can be seen here, or at www.brazoscountytx.gov.