Stay-at-Home order issued for Gray County, details of positive COVID-19 cases released

PAMPA, Texas (KFDA) - The Gray County judge and City of Pampa mayor have joined forces in issuing a Stay-at-Home order for the city and county through April 8.

This directive will be in effect from Thursday, April 2 at 12:01 p.m. to Wednesday, April 8 at 11:59 p.m. in an effort to contain spreading of COVID-19.

On March 31, the City of Pampa confirmed the first positive case of COVID-19 in Gray County.

According to Dr. Kevin Sieck with Gray County Health Authority, the Gray County resident that tested positive is believed to have contracted the disease through recent travel. They are not hospitalized at this time.

Dr. Sieck says they will not release any detailed information about the patient or any patients to protect their privacy.

The Texas Department of Criminal Justice announced late Wednesday a Correctional Officer at the Jordan Unit in Pampa tested positive for the COVID-19 virus.

The Stay-at-Home directive orders all Gray County residents to stay in their current place of residence.

All public gatherings of any number of people outside a single household are prohibited.

Travel from a person’s home should only be for obtaining essential goods and services or to the person’s place of employment which furnishes essential goods and services.

Any person who is sick or experiencing common COVID-19 symptoms is ordered to stay home and follow COVID-19 protocol.

No visits to nursing homes, retirement or long-term care facilities will be permitted, unless to provide essential care.

Here is a list of specific closures due to this order:

• Non-essential personal service business, including hair salons, barbershops, hair stylists, nail salons, tattoo parlors, piercing businesses, game rooms, tanning salons and hair removal/waxing businesses
• Commercial amusement and entertainment venues
• Enclosed shopping malls
• Group meeting spaces
• Non-essential retail establishments, curbside, drive-through and delivery are encouraged
• Park amenities such as playgrounds, basketball courts, tennis courts, baseball fields, athletic fields for group sports, skate parks, group pavilions, parks are still available for walking, running and general exercise

Here is a list of specific services that will remain open:

• Grocery stores, convenience stores, drug stores, pharmacies and package stores
• Pet supply and vet services
• Healthcare providers and healthcare facilities
• Vehicle gas, repair & maintenance facilities
• Agricultural services, including plant and food cultivation, farming and raising livestock
• Banks and financial institutions
• Professional services, including attorneys, accountants engineer, title companies, insurance agents and other licensed professionals
• Office buildings where people work in individual enclosed spaces in groups of 10 or less
• News media, newspapers, television, radio and other media services
• Day Care Facilities
• Non-profit providers of essential services
• Residential buildings, including hotels and motels
• Essential government services and facilities
• Manufacturing, distribution and logistic facilities
• Laundromats and dry cleaners
• Call centers
• Transit facilities, airports, bus stops, bus stations
• Funeral homes, crematoriums and cemeteries and funeral services provided social distancing of 6 feet is maintained
• Building supply and home improvement stores
• Critical infrastructure businesses described by the Cyber & Infrastructure Security Agency
• Religious institutions, churches, places of worship

Failure to adhere to this order can result in fines up to $1,000 or up to 180 days in jail.

Travel permits are not required in the City of Pampa, and no curfew is currently enacted except the normal curfew for those under 17-years-old.

“During these difficult times we are asking that you do your part and stay home to help protect not only yourself but the citizens of the City of Pampa and Gray County” says Mayor Brad Pingel. “We are a strong community and we will get through this storm.”

If you have questions about which businesses are essential or non-essential, you can visit this website or contact City Hall at (806) 669-5750.

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