Sunday was the seventh straight day the pandemic was responsible for more than 15 percent of hospital populations in the Bryan/College Station region. That triggers new business restrictions.
That includes closing more than 30 bars in Brazos County that generate at least 51 percent of their revenue from alcohol sales.
Brazos County judge Duane Peters, who received the notification Monday from the state health department, says he can not apply to reopen those bars until the hospital occupancy rate falls under 15 percent for seven consecutive days.
According to the letter received by Peters, the new restrictions also apply in Burleson, Grimes, Leon, Madison, Robertson, and Washington counties.
Click HERE to read and download the letter from the state health department to Duane Peters.
Click below for comments from Duane Peters, visiting with WTAW’s Bill Oliver:
According to the city of Bryan website, the new restrictions also include:
Other businesses:
- Any business establishment that otherwise would have a 75% occupancy limit must operate at up to only 50%.
- Surgeries: Elective surgeries, as defined in Executive Order GA-31, must reschedule unless they “would not deplete any hospital capacity needed to cope with the COVID-19 disaster.”
The following activities/services are NOT impacted by these occupancy changes:
- Religious services
- Local government operations
- Childcare services
- Public or private schools
- Youth camps
- Adult or youth recreational sports
- Drive-in movies, concerts and similar events
- Personal care/beauty establishments with at least six feet of social distancing between work stations
- Services listed by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security in its Guidance on the Essential Critical Infrastructure Workforce.