The Numbers
|
| Location |
Cases |
Deaths |
| Williamson |
42 to 50 |
1 |
| Bell |
44 |
1 |
| Travis/Austin |
244 |
2 |
| Texas |
3,925 |
58 |
| U.S. |
189,633 |
4,081 |
| Number recovered: U.S. |
7,136 |
Apr 1 7:55 am
Sources: Wm. Bell, Travis county health depts., John Hopkins University.
County Breakout
Updates show change from previous day.
| City |
Cases |
| Georgetown |
9 no change |
| Round Rock |
12 to 13 |
| Cedar Park |
7 to 8 |
| Leander |
6 to 7 |
| Austin (In Wilco) |
6 to 9 |
| Hutto |
1 to 4 |
| Other towns |
0 |
| Gender |
| Female |
28 |
| Male |
22 |
| Age Group* |
| 1 to 17 |
1 |
| 18 to 40 |
13 |
| 41 to 60 |
16 to 41 |
| Over 60 |
12 |
| Status |
| Recovered |
7 to 12 |
| Deaths |
1 |
| Ever Hospitalized |
9 to 11 |
| Spent time in ICU |
3 to 4 |
| Not Hospitalized** |
28 to 34 |
March 31 10:02 pm
Sources: Williamson Co. Health Dept.
* Age is unknown for 3 cases
** Hospital status of one case unknown.
Shelter-in-Place Order
[see full order here]
• The Williamson County order replaces the previous ban on gatherings of more than 10 people issued Mar. 18.
• Order starts: Mar. 24
Ends: April 13
• Purpose: To ensure that people self-isolate at home to the maximum extent possible while allowing essential services to continue as needed. People who must leave home for essential services are asked to maintain Social Distance Requirements.
• Essential Activities:
- Activities like medical visits, etc., that are necessary to health and safety of persons or family members. The exemption does not include elective medical, surgical or dental procedures. It does include veterinary care. The exemption is broadly defined to avoid impacts on health care.
- You may shop for necessary supplies and services or deliver those to others.
- Pursue outdoor activities such as walking, hiking or running as long as you maintain social distance. This does not include gyms and fitness centers.
- Work to provide essential products and services at an essential business.
- You may leave home to provide work necessary to the operation of critical infrastructure such as public works, water, sewer, airport operations, trash pickpu, etc.
- Essential businesses and services must strive to observe social distance of 6 feet between people.
• Essential businesses and services:
Healthcare operations, essential infrastructure and government functions, grocery stores, certified farmers' markets, farm and produce stands, supermarkets, food banks, convenience stores.
Also, retailers of canned food, dry goods, fresh fruit and vegetables, pet supplies, fresh meats, fish and poultry, household products necessary to maintaining safe and sanitary homes.
Also food cultivation, farming, livestock, fishing and garden centers;
Also residential, transportation and commercial construction
Businesses that provide food, shelter and social services for economically disadvantaged or needy people
Newspapers, television, radio and other media services
Gas stations and fuel suppliers
Auto supply and repair or manufacturing and sales
Banks and financial institutions
Hardware stores
Warehouse distribution and fulfillment
Storage for Essential Businesses
Funeral homes and related functions provided that social distance is maintained
Plumbers, electricians, exterminators, etc., who are necessary to safe, sanitary homes
Real estate functions related to repairs, management of leases, transaction recording, property inspections, construction, etc.
Shipping and mailing services including post office boxes
Schools for the purpose of making possible distance learning
Laundromats and cleaners
Restaurants limited to take-out;
Schools that provide meals may continue, but for pick-up only
Businesses that deliver groceries to homes
Professional services, such as legal or accounting, if necessary to assist in compliance with legally mandated activies
Child care functions that enable exempted employees to work as usual. Child care must be carried out in groups of 12 or fewer children who are in the same group each day; children should not change from group to group and each group should be in a separate room. Staff should stay solely with one group.
   
The Guide to Georgetown
[View all publications.]
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Abbott says schools to stay closed until May 4.
Governor Abbott issued a new Executive Order, Tuesday, extending the closure of schools for another 5 weeks, ending Monday, May 4. The order also adopts the Centers of Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) protocols for social distancing issued recently by President Trump.
"Social distancing is our best tool in the fight against COVID-19, and the actions we have taken thus far have proven effective in limiting the spread of the virus," said Gov. Abbott.
The order expands the previous order to avoid gatherings in bars, restaurants, food courts and visiting gyms or massage studios. Added to these are tattoo and piercing studios and cosmetology salons.
Also prohibited are visits to nursing homes, state supported living centers, assisted living facilities, or long-term care facilities unless the visit is to provide critical assistance.
Although school buildings are closed, schools can continue to teach via distance learning. See Gov. Abbott's order HERE.
Georgetown schools adjust
As a result of Abbott's anouncement, GISD Superintendent Fred Brent told district families late Tuesday that GISD will continue operations under a status of “closed and offering instruction” through May 1.
He said district staff will continue its remote business operations and facilities will remain closed. Remote instruction will continue.
Families needing technology support should contact the district for information on how to borrow or purchase devices and resources for internet access.
April 10 and 13 are scheduled school holidays and the district will be fully closed on those days.
Mar 31 10:02 pm
8 new Wilco cases Tuesday
New Cases: 3-Austin, 1-Cedar Park, 3-Hutto, 1-Leander, 1-Round Rock.
The total change is one more than in today's total. in yesterday's report, one case was shown in a rural area which today shows no cases.
Confirmed new cases in Wilco
March 31
• 8 cases
March 30
• 5 cases
March 28
• 3 cases, one death
March 27
• 7 cases; individual details no longer released
March 26
• 5 cases, details not released
March 25
• 1 case, details not released
March 24
• a man in his 40s - travel to an area with community spread
• a woman in her 80s - exposed to a confirmed case
• a woman in her 40s - unknown exposure
• a man in his 50s - unknown exposure
• a man in his 30s - exposure to a confirmed case
March 23
• a woman in her 20s - unknown exposure source
• a woman in her 20s - unknown exposure source
• a woman in her 30s - unknown exposure source
• a woman in her 30s - travel history to an affected country
• a woman in her 40s - unknown exposure source
March 21
• a woman in her 20s - exposure to an area with community spread.
March 20
• a woman in her 20s - exposure to an area with community spread.
March 19
• a man in his 30s - international travel history.
• a woman in her 30s - international travel history.
• a woman in her 40s - exposed to an area with community spread.
• a man in his 50s - unknown exposure history.
March 18
• a woman in her 40s - self-quarantined.
• a man in his 50s - exposure to a known case.
• an infant - a close contact with a separate known case.
• a woman in her 40s - known travel history to France.
The county does not release names of infected individuals.
G-town schools will lend computers
With school closures extended until April 13, Georgetown ISD will lend technology to families who do not have a laptop, Chromebook or computer available at home for online distance learning, Superintendent Fred Brent said.
Distance learning will begin Monday, April 6, “Week 3” of school closures intended to reduce the risk of exposure to COVID-19.
GISD also has arranged for district families to secure 60 days of free internet access through Suddenlink and Spectrum. Information is available on GISD’s Distance Learning webpage HERE.
Families needing technology were identified through a survey and personal outreach, Mr. Brent said
Families must register for a device on GISD’s Distance Learning webpage and will be assigned a checkout time on dates below. Chromebooks will be distributed through a curbside drive-thru at the front entrance of each school.
Technology checkout will take place as follows:
• East View High School — Wednesday, April 1, noon to 6 p.m.
• Georgetown High School — Thursday, April 2, noon to 6 p.m.
•
Carver, Mitchell, Cooper and Purl elementary schools — Monday, March 30, noon to 6 p.m.
County positives rise from 27 to 34
See updated numbers under County Breakout, left.
Noteworthy in this release is a new category "Not Hospitalized." This number has been missing from most news and information sources, and that has caused confusion as to how many people have actually been hospitalized. We thank the county folk for this important addition to our understanding of the illness and its impact.
Unsolicited advice
Photo by Andy Sharp The county's Shelter-in-Place order makes exceptions for essential health related travel. Since mental health is health, too, you might consider getting in your car (an extension of your home) and driving around to see the red poppies.
The original red poppy seeds, planted here at the end of the Great War, have reseeded every year for over 100 years. This year they are beautiful as ever and have much joy to give.
March 25 4:04 p.m.
School trustees move election to Nov. 3
Georgetown ISD trustees voted unanimously Tuesday evening to move the district’s May 2 board election to Nov. 3. Five candidates have filed for two positions on the board.
The Williamson County Sun and the League of Women Voters-Wilco have postponed candidate forums set for the city and school elections on April 4 and 16, respectively. Forums will be rescheduled in the fall, prior to the Nov. 3 election. Dates will be announced.
Georgetown city election set for Nov. 3
The Georgetown City Council voted 7-0 to postpone the city election — originally scheduled for May 2 — to Nov. 3.
Williamson County runs the elections for Georgetown and because of the coronavirus situation it will not hold the May 2 elections.
Unless the city were to get a court order allowing it to run its election on a date other than a uniform election date, it must run its election on Nov. 3.
Southwestern shuts down
Southwestern University announced Thursday morning that the school will close for the remainder of the semester with students completing course work via distance learning.
Students have been on spring break which had been extended to give professors time to prepare for distance learning which was originally planned to extend from March 30 until April 13 or longer if needed.
Because of the County ban on large public events, Commencement, scheduled for May 9, is postponed and all campus events are cancelled.
Residence halls will close at noon, Sunday, March 22.
City facilities closed through May 11
Following the city's disaster declaration Thursday, all city facilities are closed to the public through May 11, including the main lobbies of the Public Safety Center, the Georgetown Municipal Complex, City Hall, the Library, the Visitor's Center and most Parks and Recreation facilities.
Staff will provide services via telephone, email and other digital means. For department contact information, refer to the City directory HERE.
The Animal Shelter will continue to process adoptions and drop-offs by appointment only. Call 512-930-3592 to schedule an appointment before coming to the shelter.
The Police Department is limiting in-person response to certain types of calls for service to promote social distancing. The department is making the following changes:
• All calls for service that can be handled by phone will be.
• Officers will continue responding in person to calls of a serious nature that pose a threat to persons or property or require more involved investigations.
• Officers will not be responding to non-injury accidents in which both vehicles are drivable and not a traffic hazard. People will be encouraged to exchange information as required by law and contact their respective insurance companies.
• Drug take-back services are suspended.
Contact the non-emergency number at 512-930-3510 to report non-emergency crimes, obtain police reports and for assistance with other administrative matters.
The Junior Police Academy registration is postponed. Expect a new date be set sometime in May.
GoGeo transit is reducing service hours to 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday – Friday, starting Monday, March 23. The new hours are for fixed-route services and paratransit service. There will be no Saturday service starting March 21.
CARTS will continue to provide medical trips for dialysis and other critical medical needs for pre-scheduled trips. Rides for qualified paratransit riders can be requested online or through the CARTS Reservation Center by calling (512) 478-7433.
Trash & Recycling: Residents should bag all landfill trash and keep recyclable items loose to limit employees’ contact with these materials. Texas Disposal Systems continues to operate normally and the transfer station on Walden Drive remains open to the public.
Although the Georgetown Public Library is closed, you keep library materials until the library reopens (no overdue fines!).
Plus you can now check out materials online for pickup:
- 1 Reserve your items ahead of time using the Library's online catalog HERE.
- 2 When you are notified that your materials are available, pick them up from the WOWmobile in the library's Ninth Street parking lot.
All WOW! mobile stops and outreach events are canceled through April 3, and Sun City stops are canceled through April 19.
Georgetown Municipal Court: All court dockets currently scheduled in theup to April 3 will be rescheduled.
City of Georgetown's COVID-19 news page [HERE]
County Closures
Williamson County has closed all non-essential offices to walk-in traffic until May 11. Work will continue by phone, email, mail and drop-boxes as needed.
The Justice Center is open only for required judicial activities. In addition to normal screening, persons entering the building will have their temperature checked. Persons with temperature of 100.4 degrees or more will not be allowed in the builidng.
Jury trials are cancelled.
information sources:
- • Georgetown's COVID-19 news page HERE
- • Williamson County Health District COV-19 page HERE
" Dashboard HERE
- • The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention HERE
- • The Texas Department of State Health Services HERE
- • Texas case counts by county HERE
- • Austin Information HERE
- • Bell County info HERE
- • John Hopkins University HERE
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