Erath County and other counties in Trauma Service Area E remain under the stricter guidelines as of Tuesday, due to the hospitalization remaining above 15%.
This comes as Erath County officials reported 423 active cases in the Monday night report (see the full report on page A3) and the mobile testing site is returning today (Dec. 17) from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. at Cornerstone Assembly of God Church (950 Glen Rose Highway in Stephenville).
The free swab testing is being offered as a collaborative effort between DSHS, TDEM, TMD, the RACs and the TX EMTF. Those seeking a test can strive to the church during the open hours and register. Since this is not the rapid test, results will be available in 48-72 hours. For more information on mobile testing, call 965-1326.
Erath and TSA, to which it is included, rolled back into stricter requirements on Dec. 7 after hospital capacity was over 15% for a full week.
According to the Governor’s Executive Order 32 (GA-32), tighter restrictions are required in any TSA that is over 15% for seven days.
These restrictions include:
■ 50% maximum occupancy in restaurants, stores, office buildings, manufacturing facilities, gyms and exercise facilities and classes, museums and libraries
■ discontinuing elective surgeries
■ closing bars and similar establishments
Some bars that have been reclassified as restaurants will be allowed to stay open.
Under GA-32, Erath will be allowed to reopen once hospitalization in TSA E has been below 15% capacity for seven consecutive days.
Hospitalizations in TSA E over the past 7 days was recorded as the following:
■ Dec. 8: 16.60%
■ Dec. 9: 15.88%
■ Dec. 10: 15.77%
■ Dec. 11: 15.93%
■ Dec. 12: 15.45%
■ Dec. 13: 16.28%
■ Dec. 14: 17.09%
TSA E includes the counties of Collin, Cooke, Dallas, Denton, Ellis, Erath, Fannin, Grayson, Hood, Hunt, Johnson, Kaufman, Navarro, Palo Pinto, Parker, Rockwall, Somervell, Tarrant and Wise.