San Antonio, Bexar County adopt 'Stay Home, Work Safe' order

Coronavirus
By Talk 1370

SAN ANTONIO (Talk1370.com) -- San Antonio and Bexar County are the latest jurisdictions across Texas to adopt some form of a shelter-in-place order to combat the COVID-19 pandemic.

San Antonio Mayor Ron Nirenberg and Bexar County Judge Nelson Wolff announced the order Monday evening. It will go into effect Tuesday night, and Nirenberg says he will ask the San Antonio City Council to extend the order until at least midnight on April 9.

The order specifically mandates that residents "stay home and only leave their homes to perform allowed activities." Those allowed activities include:

  • Activities related to maintaining health and safety of family and pets
  • Activities to obtain necessary supplies for themselves, their family and household, including groceries or food
  • Working for an exempted business or government that is providing services needed by the public during this crisis
  • Outdoor activity, such as walking, running or cycling - only if social distancing is maintained

"Stay home, stay healthy," Nirenberg said. "We will get through this together."

The order exempts several categories of businesses, including grocery stores, gas stations, healthcare, transportation, financial institutions, child care, hotels, and several others.

Dallas County and the city of Waco became the first two jurisdictions across the state to implement some form of a shelter-in-place order to help fight the spread of COVID-19. Dallas County's order goes into effect later tonight. Austin Mayor Steve Adler said Monday that city and county officials are working on drafting a similar order, saying it could be implemented in Travis County as early as Tuesday.