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Beaumont Mayor Becky Ames announces the area's first "Stay Home, Work Safe" order. The six-county coalition followed suit soon after. -
Jefferson County Judge Jeff Branick speaks to reporters March 27. -
Port Arthur Mayor Thurman Bartie -
Orange County Judge John Gothia
Hours after Beaumont Mayor Becky Ames announced a “Stay Home, Work Safe” order for the city March 27, the six-county coalition concerning COVID-19 released a similar order. Those orders call for residents to leave home only for essential reasons, non-essential businesses to close and grocery stores to limit the number of people shopping at a given time.
“We are doing our very best to keep you informed during this evolving situation, regarding the COVID-19 pandemic,” Ames said. “We are working around the clock to monitor and make decisions to protect the health and safety of our community.”
Beaumont’s order took effect upon announcement, according to Ames, while the order from the county coalition will start at midnight. Ames and the county judges said the implementation of these orders were strongly influenced by reports of gatherings in parks still taking place after the 10-person limit was put in place.
Residents can still visit open parks, but are urged to practice social distancing, keeping family units close, but distancing from all others. Ames encouraged residents to jog, bike and partake in other outdoor activities, while keeping a distance from others. Those “essential” reasons for leaving home include: performing tasks essential to health and safety, including: obtaining medication or visiting a healthcare professional; obtaining supplies or services or delivery of those to others, including: food, pet supplies, household products, work from home supplies; engaging in outdoor activity, while keeping social distancing; performing work providing essential products and services to an essential business; or caring for a family member or pet in another household.
The orders call for grocery stores to limit customers to one adult per household. Exceptions will be made for customers with caretakers or parents lacking other childcare options. Businesses not deemed essential to maintain the nation’s infrastructure have been asked to close, but small businesses with fewer than 10 employees in a building will be allowed to remain open. Officials say that10-person limit applies to private gatherings as well, and those who violate it can be fined.
The U.S. Department of Homeland Security has released a list of workers they deem essential to maintain the nation's infrastructure. The attached list identifies workers who conduct a range of operations and services that are essential to continued critical infrastructure viability
That includes workers in fields of healthcare and public health; law enforcement, public safety, first responders; food and agriculture, including pharmacies; energy; water and wastewater; transportation and logistics; public workers; communications and information technology; community-based operations and essential functions; critical manufacturing; hazardous materials; financial services; chemical; and defense industrial base.
An exhaustive list can be found at https://www.cisa.gov/publication/guidance-essential-critical-infrastructure-workforce
Hardin County Judge Wayne McDaniel said Lumberton may open the area’s second COVID-19 test collection site as early as the middle of next week. McDaniel also announced that Lumberton has its second confirmed case as of March 27.