The order goes into effect Friday, July 3 at 12:01 p.m. and runs until Aug. 15.
A new executive order prohibiting gatherings of more than 10 people in Austin has been issued by Mayor Steve Adler.
Adler issued the order on the heels of Gov. Greg Abbott’s decision to require people to wear masks outdoors in Texas counties with 20 or more confirmed cases of the coronavirus.
The order states:
NOW THEREFORE, I, MAYOR OF THE CITY OF AUSTIN, PURSUANT TO
THE AUTHORITY VESTED BY TEXAS GOVERNMENT CODE CHAPTER 418,
HEREBY ORDER, EFFECTIVE AS OF 12:01 P.M. ON JULY 3, 2020, AND
CONTINUING THROUGH AUGUST 15, 2020, THAT IN THE CITY OF AUSTIN:
SECTION 1.
All individuals and business establishments are ORDERED to practice the
social distancing, hygiene, and face covering behaviors set forth in Sections 2 through 5 and Exhibits A and C, unless excepted by this Order or otherwise provided by the Governor’s Executive Orders GA-28 (as amended) and 29 or other executive order in effect (combined being Governor’s Order). Further, to the extent this Order does not mandate or directly address a course ofaction, all individuals and business establishments shall at a minimum comply with and require the health protocols otherwisejust recommended in the Governor’s Open Texas Checklists, found
at: https://gov.texas.gov,organization/opentexas.
Social gatherings of any size shall be avoided or minimized. Vulnerable individuals (those over 65, who are immunocompromised, or who have underlying health conditions putting them at increased risk of harm from COVID-19) shall particularly avoid groups of more than two beyond the members oftheir single household or residence.
Further, pursuant to the Governor’s Order and the advice of the local Health
Authority, gatherings or presence at any outdoor area, event,
or establishment of more than 10 persons are PROHIBITED except as provided in this Section.
While it is recommended that everyone should avoid taking advantage of the
following exceptions ifreasonably possible, pursuant to the Governor’s Order, there is no occupancy limit for the following;
a. any services listed by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s
Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) in its Guidance on
the Essential Critical Infrastructure Workforce, Version 3.1. or any subsequent
version;
b. religious services conducted in churches, congregations, and houses ofworship;
c. local government operations;
d. child-care services;
e. youth camps, including but not limited to those defined as such under Chapter
141 ofthe Texas Health and Safety Code, and including all summer camps and
other daytime and overnight camps for youths; and
f. recreational sports programs for youth and adults.
While it is recommended that everyone should avoid taking advantage of the
following exceptions ifreasonably possible, pursuant to the Governor’s Order, the outdoor gathering ban in this Section does not apply to the following outdoor areas, events, or establishments, except that the following outdoor areas or outdoor venues shall operate at no more than 50 percent ofthe normal operating limits as determined by the owner:
a. professional, collegiate, or similar sporting events;
b. swimming pools;
c. water parks;
d. museum and libraries;
e. zoos, aquariums, natural caverns, and similar facilities;
£ rodeos and equestrian events; and
g. amusement parks.
All participants in lawful gatherings or groups expressly permitted by this Order or the
Governor’s Order are nonetheless subject to the required social distancing, hygiene, and face covering behaviors set forth in Sections 2 through 5 and Exhibits A and C, including or as may be limited by any other requirements imposed by the Governor’s Order. Nothing in this Order prohibits the gathering ofmembers of a household within the household’s residence.
Nursing homes, retirement and long-term care facilities must prohibit non-critical
assistance visitors or providers from accessing their facilities, as determined through the guidance
from the Texas Health and Human Services Commission. All non-residents in nursing homes, retirement and long-term care facilities must wear a fabric face covering as set forth in Section 3
(Face Covering Behaviors). In addition, residents in facilities with confirmed COVID-19 cases shall follow requirements ofExhibit C, except when doing so poses a greater mental or physical health, safety or security risk.
Wearing a face covering is not a substitute for maintaining 6-feet social distancing
and hand washing, as these remain important steps to slowing the spread of the virus.
If someone in a household has tested positive for COVID-19 or is awaiting the results of a COVID-19 test, the entire household is ORDERED to isolate and not travel outside ofthe City of Austin except to seek medical attention or until cleared by Austin Public Health. Before visiting a healthcare provider or seeking emergency medical care, a person must notify the healthcare provider in advance (or the 9-1-1 call taker and first responders in the event of an emergency) if they have tested positive for COVID-19 or show symptoms consistent with COVID-19 such as cough, fever, sore throat, chills, muscle aches, loss of smell, loss of taste, shortness of breath, vomiting, and/or diarrhea, or ifthey have been exposed to another individual who tested positive
or displayed symptoms consistent with COVID-19.
SECTION 2.
Social Distancing and Hygiene. All persons MUST practice social
distancing except when in the presence of only members ofone’s own household or residence, or when otherwise exempted by this Order. Parents and guardians of children under 10 shall be responsible for maintaining social distance between child members oftheir household and others’ households. For purposes of this Order, and as outlined in the guidelines from the CDC and Austin/Travis County Health Authority, social distancing means maintaining at least a six-foot distance from other individuals, washing hands with soap and water for at least 20 seconds as frequently as possible or using hand sanitizer with at least 60% alcohol if soap and water is unavailable, covering coughs or sneezes (into the sleeve or elbow, not into hands), regularly
cleaning high-touch surfaces, and not shaking hands.
SECTION 3.
Individual Face Covering Behaviors: Because an infected person can
transmit the COVID-19 virus to others before showing any symptoms and for other reasons, the covering ofa person’s nose and mouth is necessary to help slow the spread ofthe virus. All persons MUST wear some form of covering that fits snugly over their nose and mouth, such as a 3L- ..1?1 commercially made or homemade fabric mask, scarf, bandana, when inside a commercial entity or other building or space open to the public, or when in an outdoor public space whenever it is not feasible to maintain six feet ofsocial distancing from another person not in the same household;
provided, however, that this face-covering requirement does not apply to the following:
a. any person younger than 10 years of age (though it is still recommended for children
over the age of six);
b. any person with a medical condition ordisability that prevents wearing a face covering;
c. any person while the person is eating or drinking, or is seated at a restaurant to eat or drink;
d. any person while the person is (a) exercising outdoors or engaging in physical activity
outdoors and (b) maintaining a safe distance from others not in the same household;
e. any person while the person is driving alone or with passengers ofthe same household as the driver;
f. any person obtaining a service that requires temporary removal of the face covering for security surveillance, screening, or the need for specific access to the face, such as while visiting a bank or while obtaining a personal care service involving the face, but only to the extent necessary for the temporary removal;
g. any person while the person is in a swimming pool, lake, or similar body of water;
h. any person who is voting, assisting a voter, serving as a poll watcher, or actively
administering an election, but wearing a face covering is strongly encouraged;
i. any person who is actively providing or obtaining access to religious worship, but
wearing a face covering is strongly encouraged;
j. any person while the person is giving a speech for a broadcast or to an audience; or
k. any person while temporary removal of the face covering is necessary for
communication by or with a person who is hearing impaired.
Parents and guardians of children six to ten years of age are responsible for appropriately masking their children when outside their residence.
All non-residents in nursing homes, retirement and long-term care facilities shall wear a
fabric face covering, except as otherwise required by an order issued by the Health Authority. In addition, residents in facilities with confirmed COVID-19 cases shall follow requirements of Exhibit A, except when doing so poses a greater mental or physical health, safety or security risk.
The order goes on to state face coverings at city facilities, and much more.