The rules are the rules, but Galveston County Judge Mark Henry isnât happy about them.
The state of Texas on Tuesday tightened restrictions on businesses and hospitals in Galveston County and the surrounding region because the stateâs data show an increase in the number of people being treated in local hospitals for COVID-19. For seven days in a row, more than 15 percent of hospital capacity in Galveston and eight nearby counties were being used by COVID-19 patients, according to the state.
Under orders issued by Gov. Greg Abbott in October, the rate triggered a return to COVID-related restrictions that were in place for most the summer.
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For the past five years, Tammy Davis has been serving up home-cooked meals at her restaurant.
“Gov. (Greg) Abbott said he wouldn’t shut the businesses down and all of a sudden we get the news today that we have to shut down to 50% capacity, she said.
She much prefers to focus on her popular chicken fried steak and beef tips, not counting customers.
“I go home and I worry about my next bill. It’s frustrating to open us up, close us down, open us up, close us down, said Davis.
Brazoria, Galveston, Chambers and Liberty counties are all impacted. There are 291 people hospitalized with COVID-19 in what the state designates as a Trauma Service Area, putting the area s percentage of hospital patients that are COVID patients close to 20%.
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Businesses in Gulf Coast counties face yet another rollback
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Update: As of December 28,
, according to KHOU. The latest closure affects counties in Trauma Service Area N: Brazos, Burleson, Grimes, Leon, Madison, Robertson and Washington. Restaurants in those counties will also have to reduce indoor capacity to 50 percent.
Restaurants in some parts of Houston must decrease indoor dining capacity to 50 percent effective immediately, and some bars must close all indoor service, as COVID-19 cases continue to spike following Thanksgiving.
A letter sent to several upper Gulf Coast county judges on the evening of December 21 indicated that restaurants and bars in Trauma Service Area R which includes Brazoria, Chambers, Galveston, Hardin, Jasper, Jefferson, Liberty, Newton, and Orange counties must roll back capacity after COVID-19 hospitalizations in that area rose
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Galveston County officials said they will refuse to enforce business restrictions imposed by Gov. Greg Abbott, as surging COVID-19 cases in nine southeast Texas counties have triggered fresh lockdowns.
The governor s order requires the immediate closure of bars and restricts restaurant capacity at 50%. It also bans elective surgeries to keep hospital beds open for critically ill patients. The counties affected include Galveston, Brazoria, Chambers, Liberty, Jefferson, Orange, Hardin, Jasper and Newton.
Galveston County Judge Mark Henry said he could not enforce the order even if he wanted to.