Hays County releases regular updates on the number of confirmed cases and other local statistics related to COVID-19.

On Wednesday, June 3, Governor Greg Abbott announced phase three of Texas’ plan to safely open the economy while containing the spread of COVID-19. 

Under Phase III, effective immediately, all businesses in Texas will be able to operate at up to 50% capacity, with very limited exceptions.

Businesses that previously have been able to operate at 100% capacity may continue to do so, and most outdoor areas are not subject to capacity limits. 

All businesses and customers should continue to follow minimum standard health protocols laid out by the Texas Department of State Health Services (DSHS).

Effective June 3:

All businesses currently operating at 25% capacity can expand their occupancy to 50% with certain exceptions. 

Bars and similar establishments may increase their capacity to 50% as long as patrons are seated.

Amusement parks and carnivals in counties with less than 1,000 confirmed positive cases may open at 50% capacity. 

Restaurants may expand their maximum table size from 6 to 10 persons.  

Effective June 12:

Restaurants may expand their occupancy levels to 75%. 

Counties with 10 or less active COVID-19 cases may expand their occupancy limits to 75%. Counties that fit this category but have not previously filed an attestation with DSHS will need to do so.

Effective June 19:

Amusement parks and carnivals in counties with more than 1,000 confirmed positive cases of COVID-19 may open at 50% capacity.

Additional Openings:

Special provisions have been made for outdoor gatherings, such as the Fourth of July celebrations, but it is imperative that local officials and public health officials collaborate on safety standards.

These provisions are included in the Governor’s Executive Order and are also available on the Open Texas webpage. 

Further Protocols:

All businesses should continue to follow the minimum standard of health protocols from DSHS. 

For details and a full list of guidelines, openings, and relevant dates, visit http://open.texas.gov.

Reminders for those going out:

• Individuals are encouraged to wear appropriate face coverings.
• People should not be in groups greater than ten when possible.
• People over the age of 65 are encouraged to stay at home as much as possible.
• People are still asked to avoid nursing homes, state-supported living centers, assisted living facilities, or long-term care facilities.

View the Governor’s Executive Order.

• Wash your hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds. If soap and water are not available, use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer.
• Avoid touching your eyes, nose, and mouth with unwashed hands.
• Avoid close contact with people who are sick.
• Stay home when you are sick.
• Cover your cough or sneeze with a tissue, then wash your hands.
• Clean and disinfect frequently touched objects and surfaces.

* Disclaimer: As this is a fast-moving situation, the information included below is provisional and subject to change.

NOTE: Case and fatality information is updated daily at 1 pm and is compiled from information reported publicly by local health departments and through the DSHS public health regions. Counts are current as of that morning.
Because some jurisdictions report cases later in the day, local numbers may be more up to date. County case numbers may occasionally go down if the case investigation determines the person is a resident of another county or state.
Testing numbers show the number of test results for Texas residents reported to DSHS by public health and private labs. They do not include pending tests. Additional testing may be occurring by labs not yet reporting all results to DSHS. Unable to deduplicate total test numbers for private labs.
Demographic data comes from completed case investigations. The majority of cases in Texas are still under investigation.
Hospitalization and hospital capacity numbers are reported daily by hospitals through eight Hospital Preparedness Program providers that coordinate health care system preparedness and response activities in Texas.