For Immediate Release
April 22, 2020
Contact: Felipe Romero
felipe.romero@cob.us
NEW CITY ORDER PERMITS RETAIL BUSINESSES WITH PICKUP OR DELIVERY SERVICES TO RESUME OPERATIONS ON FRIDAY
All City parks are will also reopen for physical activity
BROWNSVILLE, Texas (April 22, 2020) —Mayor Trey Mendez has amended the Declaration of Local Disaster for Public Health Emergency until at least Tuesday, May 5, including new provisions and guidance to allow non-essential retail businesses and public parks to resume operations.
Starting at 12:01 a.m. on Friday, April 24, retail businesses will be allowed to resume operations, provided that they can conduct services through pickup, mail delivery, or doorstep delivery in strict compliance with the terms required by the Texas Department of State Health Services.
In addition, all City parks are reopened for engaging in physical activities. However, park amenities such as playground sets, fitness equipment, restrooms, and other equipment will continue to be closed for public use in order to minimize the transmission of COVID-19.
The amended order also allows for medical, surgical, and dental procedures that are not medically necessary to be conducted, as long as the procedure can be performed without depleting the hospital capacity or the personal protective equipment needed to cope with the COVID-19 disaster response.
The following measures will continue to be in place through Tuesday, May 5, unless otherwise amended:
- Restaurants must not have more than 10 people in the take-out/pick-up area and employees are required to wear gloves and facial coverings.
- Religious and worship services should be provided by video and teleconference.
- All schools shall be temporarily closed to in-person classroom attendance by students.
- Child and adult day care centers must not have more than 10 people per room and must comply with the 6-foot social distancing requirement.
- No more than 10 individuals may ride a BMetro bus at one time.
- City libraries are closed.
- City events and other public and private community events are canceled until further notice.
- Facial coverings are required for all individuals over the age of 5 in public settings. Facial coverings include bandanas and sewn cloth face coverings. The City urges residents to not use surgical or N-95 masks; these critical supplies must be reserved for healthcare workers and medical first responders.
“We continue to work closely with state and national officials to allow businesses and organizations to continue or resume operations as responsibly as possible,” Mayor Mendez said. “I encourage our community to continue to shop locally, tip your service providers generously, and if you are able, donate to a local charity. We will get through this together.”
For more information about the City of Brownsville’s response to the coronavirus pandemic, go to www.btxcares.com.
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