Albany directed to shelter in place
By Melinda L. Lucas
With the circle of confirmed COVID-19 cases closing in on Shackelford County earlier this week, and after Gov. Greg Abbott further defined his week-old executive order on Tuesday, Albany mayor Susan Montgomery called for local citizens to shelter in place effective at midnight on Wednesday, April 8.
Montgomery, along with other mayors and county judges across the state, met with Abbott in a two-hour phone conference that ended at 4:00 p.m. Tuesday, during which the governor became much more specific about how to comply with his March 31 Executive Order.
Initially, when he signed the document, he declined to call it a stay-at-home order. In his phone conference this week, however, he emphasized the importance of closing “non-essential” businesses and parks, specifically mentioning golf courses, and urged local leaders to recommend that their citizens limit outings as much as possible.
In response, Montgomery ordered the city to shelter in place, and made personal visits on Tuesday afternoon to the businesses that needed to close as a result of the next step in responding to the coronavirus pandemic.
“I would rather be accused of doing too much than not enough,” said the mayor. “Up until this time, everyone has been complying so well with the recommendations that we didn’t feel the need to lock down. But the next week or two is so critical to getting this disease under control, and we need to follow the governor’s directives.”
The shelter in place order is in effect for the city of Albany. Restrictions for the remainder of Shackelford County had not been announced as of press time.
“I am continuing to monitor the current mitigation strategies of the county, while following the local COVID-19 testing results,” county judge Robert Skelton said Wednesday morning. “Further mitigation steps may be needed in the future.”
In actuality, only a few things have changed from recommendations already in place from last week, Montgomery said. In addition to parks and a few more local businesses closing, there is an urgent appeal to stay at home whenever possible, and face masks are encouraged.
Basically, the newest order, which does not include a curfew, is outlined as follows:
•Activities are limited to essential businesses and services, such as grocery stores, healthcare facilities, pharmacies, hardware stores, banks, feed stores (livestock), etc.
•Current restaurant restrictions limited to pickup and delivery remain unchanged.
•Limitations on gatherings of 10 or less will remain in place.
•All parks, the golf course, and public areas are closed except for walking and jogging.
•“Drive-up” church services are allowed as long as there is and appropriate distance (at least six feet) between vehicles.
•Other activities that require the public to leave their homes are restricted, including Easter egg searches/hunts except in family groups of 10 or less.
With Tuesday’s directive, Albany joins about 90 percent of the rest of the state already under shelter-in-place orders.
