March 30 at a news conference, Nelson said she will sign an amended disaster declaration including a shelter-in-place order. effective at midnight.
Nelson said the order will last two weeks if ratified by the Amarillo City Council.
The order requires citizens to stay home except for vital tasks like working, essential exercise and caring for loved ones.
The city’s COVID-19 status level has been upgraded to Level Red, or “widespread” cases in Amarillo.
Currently, the city has 11 confirmed cases, but Nelson said that number of cases is expected to increase exponentially due to “significant” community spread.
43 tests are currently pending, while 30 people are waiting on those results in quarantine.
Dr. Scott Milton, public health authority at the Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center, issued an order making social distancing guidelines mandatory for at least the next two weeks.
Additionally, Potter County Judge Nancy Tanner said the county is preparing a companion order.
Watch this news conference LIVE below:
Amarillo Area COVID Update 3/30/2020Today, Monday, March 30, we will provide an update on the local status of COVID-19 (Coronavirus).We are joined by: – Mayor Ginger Nelson, City of Amarillo- Dr. Scott Milton, Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center at Amarillo Public Health Authority/Associate Professor- Director Casie Stoughton, City of Amarillo Department of Public Health
Posted by City of Amarillo, Texas on Monday, March 30, 2020
