Coronavirus Information

Assume Personal Responsibility: Public health guidance cannot anticipate every unique situation. Residents should take responsibility, stay informed, take actions based on common sense, and follow the guidance offered by health care experts.

Do an Honest Self-Assessment: All individuals are encouraged to perform an honest self-assessment before engaging in activities outside of the home. This assessment should include asking two questions and if the answer to either of these questions is yes, then exercise extra caution and discretion before leaving the home:

• Am I healthy enough to leave the home, or do I fall into a high-risk category, based on age or other medical conditions?
• Is there someone in my home, or someone I interact with on a regular basis, who falls into a high-risk category?

Perform Protective Hygiene, Distance Yourself Physically and Clean the Environment: Dallas County (including Irving) residents and visitors should practice good hygiene and cleaning practices to minimize the risk of transmission of the virus.These include:

• Wash hands with soap and water for at least 20 seconds as frequently as possible or use hand sanitizer after interactions with people or objects
• Stay home if ill
• Cover coughs or sneezes with a tissue or do it into the sleeve or elbow, not hands
• Clean high-touch surfaces (buttons, door handles, counters, etc.) regularly
• Avoid touching your face
• Refrain from hand shaking
• Physically distance and keep six feet between people
• Wear a facial covering when out in public or when in the company of others.

Assess the Risk: Individuals should assess their risk and make decisions based on their specific circumstances. Those at high risk for COVID-19 (elderly, diabetic, etc.) and those around them should use extra precautions as outlined by the Centers of Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), Texas Department of State Health Services (DSHS), and Dallas County Health and Human Services (DCHHS).

Summary of Executive Order GA 26 of Texas Governor Greg Abbott

• Every business establishment in Texas shall operate at no more than 50 percent of the total listed occupancy of the establishment.
• There are no occupancy limits for the following
  • Services listed by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency's (CISA) in its Guidance on the Essential Critical Infrastructure Workforce
  • Religious services conducted in churches, congregations, and houses of worship
  • Local government operations, including county and municipal governmental operations relating to licensing, permitting, recordation, and document-filing services, as determined by the local government
  • Child-care services
  • Youth camps including summer camps and other daytime and overnight camps for youths
  • Recreational sports programs
• The 50% occupancy limit also does not apply to outdoor areas, events, or establishments except for the following, which are limited to 50% occupancy (as determined by the owner):
  • Professional, collegiate, or similar sporting events
  • Swimming pools
  • Water parks
  • Museums and libraries
  • Zoos, aquariums, natural caverns, and similar facilities
  • Rodeos and equestrian events
• The 50% occupancy limit also does not apply to the following as long as they operate with at least six feet of social distancing between work stations:
  • Cosmetology salons, hair salons, barber shops, nail salons/shops, and other establishments where licensed cosmetologists or barbers practice their trade
  • Massage establishments and other facilities where licensed massage therapists are authorized to practice
  • Personal-care and beauty services such as tanning salons, tattoo studios, piercing studios, hair removal services, and hair loss treatment and growth services
• Amusement parks and carnivals may operate at 50% capacity in counties with less than 1,000 cumulative cases of COVID-19 (Dallas County exceeds this threshold and must wait until June 19, 2020 to reopen)
• Outdoor gatherings estimated to be larger than 500 people, excluding businesses and events specifically listed above, may have restrictions determined by local authorities
• Dine-in restaurants may increase from 50% occupancy to 75% occupancy on June 12, 2020
• Indoor bars, which can operate at 50% capacity may only serve customers who are seated. 
• Business establishments with less than 1,000 cumulative cases of COVID-19 (Dallas County exceeds this threshold) may operate at 75% occupancy on June 12, 2020
• Facilities with retractable roofs are considered indoor facilities and are subject to occupancy limits listed above
• Staff members are not included in occupancy limits except for manufacturing services and office workers
• People should not be in groups larger than ten and should maintain six feet of social distancing from those not in their group
• People over 65 are encouraged to stay home as much as possible, maintain distance from household members who have been out of the residence in the previous 14 days, and implement social distancing when leaving the home
• Every person should use good-faith efforts and available resources to follow the minimum standard health protocols recommended by the DSHS
• Individuals are encouraged to wear appropriate face coverings
• People shall not visit nursing homes, assisted living facilities, or long-term care facilities
• Schools may resume operations for the remainder of the 2019-2020 school year
• Schools may conduct graduation ceremonies
• All existing executive orders are amended to eliminate confinement in jail as a penalty for violating the executive orders

Summary of Continuing Requirements Order of Dallas County Judge Clay Jenkins

• All Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act (CARES Act) Recovery Payments to individuals shall be exempt from garnishment.
• Door-to-door solicitation is prohibited including leaving written materials on the door or mailbox of a  residence.
• Employers may not require a negative COVID-19 test or note from a healthcare provider before a COVID-19 recovered employee can return to work.
• No person can charge more than the regular retail price for
  • Groceries, beverages, toilet articles, and ice
  • Restaurant, cafeteria, and boarding-house meals
  • Medicine, and pharmaceutical, medical equipment and supplies 
• If someone in a household has tested positive for Coronavirus, the household is ordered to isolate at home.
• Nursing homes, retirement, and long-term care facilities are instructed to prohibit non-essential visitors from accessing their facilities except to provide critical assistance or for end-of-life visitation.
• The Dallas County Sheriff's Office, the Dallas County Fire Marshal's Office, and other peace officers are authorized to enforce this order through criminal or civil enforcement. Violation is a misdemeanor punishable by a fine not to exceed $1,000.