Extended to May 8th - City of Austin/Travis County Stay Home - Work Safe Order

(4.13.2020) — Today the Stay Home - Work Safe Order instituted on March 24th has been extended to Friday, May 8th. Beyond the extension the key change is a requirement for the public to wear fabric face coverings.

Click here to review the official updated Stay Home - Work Safe order (PDF)

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Face Covering Information (SOURCE: City of Austin)

A significant percentage of individuals with the COVID-19 virus lack symptoms. Because an infected person can transmit the virus to others before showing any symptoms, the covering of a person’s nose and mouth when outside your home or residence is necessary to help prevent the spread of COVID-19. This is consistent with the findings of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and Austin-Travis County Health Authority. 

Wearing a face covering is not a substitute for maintaining 6-feet social distancing and hand washing, as these remain important steps to slowing the spread of the virus. All persons over the age of ten must wear some form of covering over their nose and mouth, such as a homemade mask, scarf, bandana or handkerchief, when:  

  • Entering into or inside of any building open to the public 

  • Using public transportation, taxis, or ride shares  

  • Pumping gas 

  • Outside and six feet of social distancing cannot be consistently maintained between the person and individuals outside of their household 

Face coverings are not required when: 

  • Riding in a personal vehicle 

  • Alone in a separate single space 

  • In the presence only of other members of their household or residence 

  • Doing so poses a greater mental or physical health, safety or security risk such as anyone who has trouble breathing, or is unconscious, incapacitated or otherwise unable to remove the cover without assistance 

  • Eating  

Parents and Guardians of children under 10 shall be responsible for appropriately masking children when outside their residence.  

  • Medical grade (N95) and surgical masks should be reserved and used only by medical professionals and first responders. Examples of how to make cloth face coverings can be found under “You and Your Family” and from the CDC. 

BlogAJ BinghamCOVID-19, covid19, Austin