On September 28, Tarrant County officials took steps to contain and stop the spread of the COVID-19 virus – again.
Tarrant County Judge Glen Whitley signed a local disaster declaration to a public health emergency with a current public health emergency declaration ready to expire. The order, which was originally written on March 11, 2020, for the COVID-19 pandemic, has been amended and extended eight times.
Commissioners Devan Allen, Roy C. Brooks, Gary Fickes, and J.D. Johnson also signed the disaster declaration.
According to the order, “The Declaration of Local Disaster is hereby extended and shall remain in force and effect through November 23, 2021, unless rescinded by an order of the Commissioners Court.”
In conjunction with the Tarrant County Emergency Management Plan, the disaster declaration includes the ability to “reduce the possibility of exposure to disease, control the risk, promote health, and compel persons to undergo additional health measures that prevent or control the spread of disease. These measures include isolation, surveillance, quarantine, or placement of persons under public health observation, including the provision of temporary housing or emergency shelters for persons…”
Having a declaration like this allows the county to request assistance from Gov. Greg Abbott for state resources while the order is in effect.
As of October 1, the Tarrant County COVID-19 statistics board reveals the community spread is red or high. There are 786 new confirmed COVID cases.
Tarrant County reports that since the pandemic began, 346,536 Tarrant County residents have been diagnosed with COVID-19, and 4,304 of them died.
For more information about the virus, vaccination sites, and more, call 817-321-4700 or visit http://health.tarrantcounty.com.