WASHINGTON CO. ORDERED TO REDUCE BUSINESS CAPACITY, CLOSE BARS AFTER INCREASED COVID-19 HOSPITALIZATIONS
Bars in Washington County will have to close and businesses will need to reduce capacity, following word from the state on rising COVID-19 hospitalizations in the region.
Washington County Judge John Durrenberger received a letter late Monday from the Texas Department of State Health Services (DSHS), informing the county that “Trauma Service Area N,” which includes Washington County, has had seven consecutive days of COVID-19 hospitalized patients making up more than 15 percent of total hospital capacity.
Per Governor Greg Abbott’s executive orders, business capacity must reduce to 50 percent from 75 percent, and establishments that receive at least 51 percent of their revenue from the sale of alcohol must close immediately, per the Texas Alcoholic Beverage Commission (TABC). In addition, hospitals are being told to restrict elective procedures.
“Trauma Service Area N” is also made up of Brazos, Burleson, Grimes, Leon, Madison and Robertson counties. The region has been above 15 percent COVID-19 hospitalization since December 22nd.
On Monday, the TABC updated its dashboard showing which counties are allowed to have bars open, removing Washington, Brazos, Burleson, Grimes and Robertson counties from the list.
Counties are allowed to appeal the order if they have fewer than 30 total cases of COVID-19 over the last 14 days, and if their county judge submits an attestation to DSHS. Occupancy rates can increase once the region’s hospitalization rate is 15 percent or lower for at least seven straight days.
Baylor Scott and White released this statement to KWHI in reference to the limitation of elective procedures:
"Currently, Baylor Scott & White Medical Center – College Station has sufficient capacity. We have been able to continue caring for our patients because of enhanced safety measures and protections in place across our hospitals, surgery centers and clinics, in accordance with Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) guidance and recommendations by our clinical experts to safeguard our patients’ health and well-being—as well as that of our caregivers—from COVID-19.
However, the number of patients in need of care for COVID-19 infections has increased. To continue ensuring that our hospitals are ready for those who need care most during this time, we have recently begun working with our patients to reschedule non-emergent procedures that require an overnight stay.
As we approach the New Year and with vaccines now arriving in our state, there is much hope on the horizon. In the meantime, we ask for continued vigilance. The safety and well-being of our community starts with each member and the decisions we each make. We ask that the public continue the sense of urgency shown in following the recommended guidelines of physical distancing, masking, and hand hygiene. Each member of the community has a role to play in preventing hospitalizations and intensive care unit admissions while protecting ourselves, our loved ones and our communities."
C. O. N. T. R. O. L. the sheeple. Instill fear, take away freedom…just the beginning.
I am seeing a lot of tin foil hats here from the anti-mask cry babies who think getting intoxicated in a bar is FAR more important than stopping the spread of a deadly disease. I guess drinking at home, responsibly, is really getting to you all so you have to use your conspiracies and false sciences to justify being selfish.
Masks protect others from YOU! And for gawd sakes wash your cloth masked when you are done.
Don’t go out unless you HAVE TO. H‑E‑B has delivery. Walmart has contactless pick up as well as various other restaurants and dine out places here in Brenham.
The virus doesn’t care about your political stance. The virus doesn’t care about your age. It is Covid-19 and not the “[racial slur] virus”. This town once proudly proclaimed how much they love their neighbor and have so much respect for one another and all I have witnessed this year, especially in this comment section, is a group of offended, crying toddler-like adults acting entitled and sensitive because their “toys” are taken away while simultaneously accusing individuals who follow the rules of being entitled and sensitive.
I almost feel bad for the apparent mass majority of this area who deny actual science and logic but it is really their loved ones who care about their well-being and the innocent people who they attack that I really feel bad for. I hope you all start reading real books and scientific and medical information in 2021. You have clearly made google your enemy.
Katherine, that was well-written and I am in 99% agreement. One of the things that I come across fairly often as a guy is an insinuation that making a meager personal sacrifice for the sake of public health is somehow effeminate or masculating. America sends its soldiers off into protracted foreign wars to protect us from less deadly foes than this virus and we celebrate them for it, but for some reason these chest-thumping macho men can’t wear a simple mask or socially distance for a year and a half to do their part for their countrymen. I am dismayed every single day to witness their cowardice, their selfishness, and their mental gymnastics to justify willful ignorance. I’d compare their behavior to terrorism except that it’s somehow beneath that, requiring no effort, no sacrifice, no bravery, and no principles.
The 1% of disagreement on my part is that to compare these people to toddlers is to unfairly disparage the reputation of toddlers.
Thank you for your comment; appreciated. Too many in our comments deny science, deny facts until it fits their narrative. It’s time our country return to her roots and follow facts.
It’s Washington County. The entire area has a huge problem with drinking, bars, and everything else that goes alongside it.
Brenham has never been known for being a tolerant or educated community.
Well if Brenham is not tolerant or educated enough by all means please move far far away. As a citizen of Brenham, Washington county I take great offense to your statement. I believe that there is great education and tolerance in this county, especially to live in a community with a person that has a view of their neighbors like you have. So please move away as fast as possible and don’t come back EVER. Thank you in advance for your cooperation.
Wow, what a tolerant and educated response! My parents recall that when we moved to Brenham (I was 3 years old), that locals referred to anyone not born in Brenham as a “foreigner”. Telling people with whom you disagree to “move away as fast as possible and don’t come back EVER” is proof of your level of “tolerance”. How long ago was it that the Maifest only allowed white people?
This is the EXACT intolerance you are proclaiming is not around in Brenham. Congratulations!! You have proved the point!!
Look at this verbosity above
Clearly, working to keep food the table a home and a future wo massive government oversight for children are not things this person cares about, likely because of a silver spoon or two.
Speaking as someone that’s had it, COVID is a joke to most people yet the silver spoons want to cause so much harm by draconian policy, and forced poverty and gov dependence? That’s no conspiracy, that’s reality you see w your own two eyes and hear w your own two ears and the coldness and disingenuous caring by the “wear your mask” crowd you sense in your heart. They are false.
Smitty, I’m burning through my savings every day because of this pandemic and I have to explain about every other day to my daughter that there’s something we can’t buy or do because we don’t want to accidentally kill her grandma — or anybody else’s — in some roundabout way. Yes, I’ve abstained from going to bars and I do wear my masks. My daughter can’t go to Chuck E Cheese. Boo. Hoo. We will be fine.
If mask-wearing and the closure of bars and restaurants is the thing that you think will break our nation, let me tell you, that’s so plainly pathetic that it’d mean our nation was already broken. But I don’t agree with your assessment; I’m as patriotic as they come and as far as I’m concerned we are plenty able to weather this storm. The sky is not falling and we could do a lot better but not for people like you. If you want to see some “silver spoon” dilletante that can’t bear the slightest discomfort, you’ll find that person in the mirror.
You missed the point, most of them. YOU are able to use savings now, after eight months of business shut downs, bars included. Most cant do that, even many of the best planners as savings and buffers have been used up months ago. That the business is a bar is beside the point. A bar provides income to the owner and all that work there obviously. It less obviously provides business income who the bar owner and employees are themselves a patron of. Another point missed. The sky is falling and people like you are causing it. You are an enable of fear, a pusher of propaganda, a naïve that doesn’t recognize the best way to protect grandma is with a health care system available because it has not gone out of business through inactivity, the availability and use of real barriers that filter the virus, good health habits, and conditions that prevent poverty. Conditions like the entire year of 2019 where we had the lowest levels of poverty in US and likely world history in every demographic. Don’t get me started on personal experiences of austerity, you have know idea who you’re talking to.
Well I must admit that you’re right that I am much more frugal than most people with regard to my personal finances, but I’ve never made especially much money and I can attest that most people can do the same if they’re careful. It is a choice. Of course, what that means is that I’m not spending a whole lot of time in bars even outside the pandemic. I make sacrifices in good times to be secure in bad times. It’s not luck, it’s design. And just because I can weather this doesn’t mean that I enjoy watching those hard-earned savings dwindle. It’ll likely take years to build them back to where they were. If that’s the trade-off for not getting my family members or anybody else’s hospitalized or killed by this virus, well okay then. My conscience is clear.
As for the folks that truely cannot make do, the better government policy is to provide them with direct financial assistance, food stamps, rent vouchers, eviction protection, and bankruptcy protection for more extreme cases where folks are crushed by a debt load they’ll never be able to service. The good news…most of that is already happening to some degree. Nobody is starving to death. No, the sky is not falling.
I was recently reading my grandfather’s unit history from his time in the Pacific Theater during WW2. This is somebody that came of age in the Great Depression only to be shipped out to New Guinea. Lots of things fell on him there, including bombs, bullets, and a piece of shrapnel that earned him a Purple Heart. The sky never fell. Not then. And it isn’t falling now.
WAM, the sky was falling in WWII. We could easily all be speaking German or Japanese right now. If we had to fight that war again with people we have in this country right now we would lose. During that time the government and industry of all kinds was faced with daily threats from saboteurs, and plenty of work that was dangerous to begin with and that’s just at home. I’m fairly sure that half the country would be saying how unfair and systemically racist and sexist the draft is, especially all those women that want to be in the combat forces but don’t put the same work into wanting inclusion as a conscript. The entire federal including our military and most of the state government is sitting at home right now , for an entire year, saying they are afraid for their lives. That level if ridiculousness has never happened in the history of the world. For most that had it, including me, having a cold is more harmful. Why doesn’t the press ever detail people like me i wonder? We know why.
If you don’t have an economy, we have nothing but high poverty and a very wealthy predatory elite, even w fiat. Its as simple as that. If we don’t get back to work 100%, the sky is falling.
Apparently you’ve missed the point of what Smitty said.
Businesses are closed on n spite of folks saying mask wearing stops the virus.
People are losing everything die to these continued closures.
Folks are smart enough to decide if they want to go out or not.
My own county, at the 50% capacity due to hospitalization long before Washington’s, has not seen massive rebellion. Most places already were at that rate.
And to be brutally honest: long before this “pandemic” (we’ve never qualified for one)…
We’ve passed bugs that could’ve possibly killed folks “in a roundabout way.”
Really unless you stay in a place alone all your life, never going out: you’re going to pass bugs.
We need to reopen – fully – if masks work, or they need to come out and admit they don’t.
That’s really all there is to it.
Amen, and thank you.
Well I see you are so fooled by the false information about the spread, you totally missed the point.
Bars, restaurants, gyms and barbers are not responsible for the spread. More that 70% is family members to family.
The point is, small business are stuck paying the price, while the large box business are not affected at all.
If business are forced to close over something not proven, then all business should be made to close.
As a bar and restaurant patron and someone in the business I’m offended at your attitude towards us.
If you feel this way, please stay at home because we will surly not miss your money.
About time bars get shut down. Americans are dying, people can drink at home and order their food to go. Wear your mask, wash your hands, and try to be a decent person.
So you saying, it’s ok for the state to come take you check, your bank account everything you have worked for?? Really?
Nothing will work, because if it did this would be controlled.
Did you stretch before you performed the mental gymnastics in your comment? No where did Katie say she was okay with the state taking her check or look at her bank account or whatever it was you were angrily typing out in the comments here.
However, by your apparent logic, I think that maybe you should reevaluate seat belts too. They are so restrictive and keep you from freely reaching around in your own personal property. Oh and headlights?! Why are we required to use those in the dark or rain?! I can see just fine. Why do I need to use those. If other people can’t see me then they shouldn’t be on the road, right?! I mean it is just your logic, right?!
The reality is the 15% hospitalization rate is ridiculously low fii IIt restrictions (and unfair when low count counties get put over it due to shifting covid patients to another district)
And if they’re going to reduction capacity in restaurants and close bars, they MUST start regulating traffic in bigger stores.
And honestly: I think the masks are WHY we’re still seeing cases.
Why?
Fabric traps the damp and virus WS you exhale… then you inhale it back.
I wear a face shield for this reason, as I’m an asthmatic.shield is plastic: it stops the droplets far better I’d that’s supposedly why we get sick.
There’s one business I refuse to spend money at now because they said essentially “we want you to get sick” and wear a fabric mask: and I’m medically exempt.
Are they still sending Covid patients from El Paso to Bryan/College Station? I would like to see the numbers reported with and without the overflow patients. I think that is painting a worse picture than actually exists.
Concerned Citizen
And those patients are coming from Mexico, that isn’t reporting! But as usual the world has turned to us stupid America’s to bail them out! Now our business are paying the price.
I agree with you 15% is very low.
For a health care system with thousands of empty beds. How long were people off in Brenham because the hospital was empty???
These orders are from an Executive Order given by the Governor and allowed under his emergency order. No other elected official has legal standing, it is entirely a policy set and imposed and eventually removed by the Governor. The virus according to this order is more easily spread among persons drinking in a bar, than those drinking in a bar in a restaurant. The virus seems to know that a person is in a location where over a certain percentage of revenue is derived by alcohol sales, rather than food sales, and targets those people. Same virus facts exist with small businesses, which must limit severely how many persons can be near each other. We need to accept that the virus targets the small independent businesses, so the policy must also target these small proprietors. Much data shows that large Amazon warehouses that employ hundreds, the large box stores and chain retailers, fast food corporations… they all are seen as much safer environments than the mom and pop operations. This order is part of the Great Reset, which you can google to understand better. It was created at the World Economic Forum in Davos. Governor Abbott attending Davos WEF last January and understands the larger plan to keep us safe.
This is funny, but so true. It’s amazing that the “big box” business don’t have to do anything different!
Last report I read, says 73.84% of the spread of this China-virus comes from Household/small gatherings. 1.43% is from bars and restaurants! If true how is shutting down the bars going to make a difference?
Meaningless. Will not be enforced. As BK said, sell a single $2.00 taco with your $4.00 beer and stay open. The selfishness of the freedom whiners is juvenile. These freedom spouters also want a return of the good old days. Post WWI and WWII citizens were selfless citizens who cared for their fellow humans, that is what made the good old days. That was a time when human life was valued over profits and sacrifices were made graciously.
What bothers me is that you shut bars down but the ones that aren’t selling 51% alcohol can stay open. They have more people, at times than anyone so they are a bar. Im not talking about restaurants. Shut the gyms down. Everyone in there throwing their sweat around
Wear your mask that all it takes. PLEASE
no
I wear my mask, everywhere, every time I’m in public or with other people, and I still got COVID. So, no, wearing your mask is not all it takes.
And before you get started, I wash my hands, social distance, avoid crowds, and all of the other stuff the CDC says to do…and I still got it. But you keep on thinking your mask will protect you.
Yes everyone in New York and California wear theirs and they have no cases
Doesn’t work, if it did, the virus would be under control.
When did Texas become Kalifornia?
Protect the ill and the old – the primary china virus victims.
Killing small businesses solves nothing.
Do not become a state of sissies in a nation of sissies (nice words used)
When they all started moving here. Why kill small business over something we can’t control?
So mobilize the Guard or Reserve to meet the new beds and care needed. Create more OVID beds from existing non ICU or COVID beds and reprioritize the inpatient electives again. It can be done a lot easier than trying to rebuild an economy which never should have been touched.
This idea that we sacrifice the future of our children for a disease that only affects a small portion makes no sense except to the selfish and the health Marxists.
If you are in danger by this disease, then take your precautions. Put on and keep on a N95 or better and check your air filtration. While you’re at it, get yourself healthy and stop expecting others to pull your weight.
If you park a food truck behind your bar and serve tacos you can stay open. As long as you have a taco with your drink you are safe. SMH!
It’s not that easy, you still have to sell 50% food, oh yea and don’t forget bars are paying 12% tax? On the alcohol. Then they would have to pay another 8% on the tacos. Again how is that fair???
I don’t think it said anything about closing restaurants. The statement was about closing bars or establishments that made 51% of their profit on alcohol. That usually does not include restaurants.
reduced capacity ,,,,,,,,, maybe you overlooked that
nor does it cause increased COVID cases… SMH
I thought Governor Abbott was not shutting us down anymore?
This is ridiculous. We are supposed to sit back and let the elected officals pick and choose who can be in business, and who must close?
No one should follow these orders. This reaction to the Covid flu is much worse than the virus will ever be.
It is time for all of us to stand up for our freedoms or we are going to lose them, a little at a time.
The Governor, and all that are involved in this hipocracy should be ashamed of themselves.
I hope our county Judge stands up and rejects this nonsense.
It’s our patriotic duty to protect not only ourselves, but our neighbors. In 1918 the country was united and understood we all had a shared sacrifice due to the Spanish Flu. Can we not come together now?
I forgot one thing remember these so call people concern about the virus. I can promise you they are still getting a paycheck.
I’m glad Washington county is being responsible even if we had to be forced to do it.
Once again the small business are left holding the bag.
I just don’t understand what the difference is having 80 people sitting down at a bar or 80 people gathered around waiting to check out at Walmart because they don’t have anyone working??? They are not asked to close.
I have called the Brenham police on Walmart and they say they can’t do anything. Then the way I see it they can’t do anything to the small business owners either. Nothing is working, so why run our community in the ground??!!
At Walmart, people are standing in line with masks on, or at least should be. At bars, they are not.
At Walmart, people are buying essential items. At bars, they are not.
Big difference.
My point is, that you missed!!! Why are the small business being made to follow the rules and the big giant box business are not? 10 people gathering is 10 people gathering no matter where. No matter mask or not. Walmart is waisted real estate anyway,
Walmart is allowed to stay open but Tre Chic is not……. they both sell clothes??
“I have called the Brenham police on Walmart and they say they can’t do anything.”. Several months ago, you would have been blasted to “mind your own business” , and “stay out of everyone else’s business” by several of the posters to this story. Maybe they don’t remember that, or don’t care to remember that…
And for the record, HEB, Walmart, and other such large stores have been categorized as essential businesses; bars have not been.
I’m no disputing them being open(even though I don’t think it’s far to small business) I’m say they to should be made to follow the rules, that allows them to stay open. If the mandate is no more that 10 people gathering, then how can they get away with 80? Waiting to check out?
Either have staff there to handle the crowds or close?
And the fact that BPD will not do anything speaks volumes!!!
Seriously ?? You called the Police on Walmart ??? Wow I would hate to be you …
And I’ll gladly do it again!
Why is it just bars and restaurants. I say stay open
once again another stupid order. There is no proof bars and restaurants are causing the problem. It is away for local authorized to shut down things they want. I guess Biden get his wish to destroy the country. you have to start with the small business. I bet HEB, walmart, lowes and home depot do not reduce. The is all political BS. We need a whole set of new elected officials all of them. How can these people lumps all these counties together. I hope we make these people pay for it at election time.
Let unite and fight.
Oh please, nobody wants to shut down bars, restaurants, or anything else just to shut them down. Biden isn’t even president (yet) and if you think he cares about six counties in rural Texas enough to get some kind of wish fulfilled, that’s just paranoia. Furthermore, if a temporary closure of bars and restaurants destroys this country, then what you’re saying is that this is a pathetically weak country. I categorically oppose that. We are stronger than that. We are capable of this meager sacrifice; what does it say about you that you believe otherwise!?
These are policies promulgated by the State of Texas and the GOP has had a firm grasp of every statewide elected office in the land and very nearly every political appointee for going on about twenty years now. Now I’m not saying that they’re perfect, but it’s insane to think that they’re all in league with Joe Biden on this.
They need to say NO and stay OPEN!! They are taking their livelihood away. Yes it’s time to tell them NO!!
It is not the local authority that is shutting the businesses down. It is coming from the governor, TABC and the state health dept. The local authorities are only doing what they are told to do by the higher ups.
It is time for people to take a stand against these tyrannical orders from people that do not have the power to limit our constitutional freedoms!!
Do you realize how ridiculous you sound in the middle of the worst disaster in at least 100 years?
Yeah the disease is so dangerous the nurses are so worried they’re doing Tik Tok dances. It has a 99.7 percent survival rate! Everyone quit being afraid! Take off your mask, open the country back up and don’t take the vaccine for something barely life threatening!
All i can say is this , I’m 32 years old and I have never met some one that has die from the regular flu. so many people compare this to the regular flu but is not.People think this 99.7 survival rate is good once you add up
1.overweight
2. Pre existing medical condition
Etc
Won’t be 99.7.
I personally know 11 friends and counting that has die from this virus. Trust me this is no joke my friend, That %0.3 could be you , brother, sisters , any relative.
Chappell Hill Resident
Ummm Jake-you need to go back and study the history books. This is by far not the worst disaster in the past 100 years. Many others were far worse. The true disaster is the destruction of the economy and our individual rights and liberties. Life is all about risk sir…if people don’t want to be exposed, they should exercise their right to stay home. By living in this world we accept risks such as vehicle accidents, tripping over a curb, sickness/death and on and on. The point is that this is only different in one way than any other risk in this world-that difference is the complete and total over reaction of people and our government. If allowed, this virus could run its course and would become nothing more than what we call a flu bug. Will people die, yes. Will people be sick, yes. But that’s part of living life in this world. And that’s the way it looks to this Chappell Hill Resident!!
Jake stop living in fear . He doesn’t sound ridiculous at all.
Jake, really. Be realistic already. These orders are not only ridiculous they are discriminatory.
They are singling out a particular business. If they are so sure that is where the COVID infection is coming from
then they have found a miracle and all infections are coming from bars. You need to listen to yourself!
If you are scared you go hide I will not.
Statements like this come up anytime there is a mandatory hurricane evacuation. It’s such a tired old statement.
Yes, they 100% have the power to give these orders. It is completely legal. The constitution does not address these things.