Covid Executive Order 50% capacity

DSHS Letter to McLennan County Judge GA-32 50 percent occupational capacity in businesses (002)

November 29, 2020
The Honorable Scott M. Felton, County Judge
McLennan County
501 Washington Avenue, Room 214
Waco, Texas 76701
Via electronic mail to smfelton@co.mclennan.tx.us
Dear Judge Felton:
On Wednesday, October 7, 2020, Governor Abbott issued Executive Order
GA-32, which superseded GA-30. Significantly, GA-32 updates the
thresholds for areas with high hospitalizations. The new definition of areas
with high hospitalizations is:
Any Trauma Service Area that has had seven consecutive days in
which the number of COVID-19 hospitalized patients as a
percentage of total hospital capacity exceeds 15 percent, until
such time as the Trauma Service Area has seven consecutive days
in which the number of COVID-19 hospitalized patients as a
percentage of total hospital capacity is 15 percent or less.
For the past seven days, the number of COVID-19 hospitalized patients in
Trauma Service Area M as a percentage of total hospital capacity exceeds 15
percent, making it an area with high hospitalizations as defined above.
As a result, as of November 29, 2020, all restaurants, retail stores, office
buildings, manufacturing facilities, gyms and exercise facilities and classes,
museums, and libraries in all counties in Trauma Service Area M are required
to return to maximum 50 percent occupancy levels, except in any county
that separately qualifies for the greater occupancy levels because it has
minimal cases of COVID-19 under the Department of State Health Services
attestation process.
The Honorable Scott M. Felton
November 29, 2020
Page 2
Trauma Service Area M includes the following counties:
• Bosque County
• Falls County
• Hill County
• Limestone County
• McLennan County
Additionally, all licensed hospitals in the Trauma Service Area are required to
discontinue elective surgeries as set forth in Executive Order GA-31. The
Health and Human Services Commission, the agency responsible for
regulating hospitals in Texas, is separately providing notice directly to
affected hospitals notifying them of the requirement to discontinue elective
surgeries located in Trauma Service Area M.
If you have questions about this notice or your obligations under Executive
Order GA-32, please contact us at coronavirus@dshs.texas.gov. Please enter
“Executive Order 32” in the subject line for proper routing. If you have
questions specifically related to the hospitals’ obligations under GA-31,
please contact the Health and Human Services Commission at
infohflc@hhs.texas.gov.
Sincerely,
John Hellerstedt, M.D.
cc: Mayors in McLennan County