In response to Governor Abbot’s recent orders addressing travel of Texas residents and visitors and daily reporting by health care providers, Mayor Barron Casteel has issued supplemental orders which also provides further clarification of the original “Stay Home, Work Safe” order and expands the list of exempted businesses, and is effective immediately.
Governor Abbot’s March 24, 2020 Executive Order requires all public and private testing locations to report COVID-19 test results, both positive and negative, daily to the Department of State Health Services (DSHS) and the local health department. The order further requires all hospitals to report the number of available beds daily to the DSHS. The Executive Order published on March 26th requires any person who enters and remains in the state through an airport from New York, New Jersey, Connecticut or the City of New Orleans to self-quarantine for 14 days from the time of entry into the state.
In addition to addressing the above referenced Executive Orders, Mayor Casteel’s supplemental order, issued Friday, March 27, 2020 expands the list of exempt businesses to include the following:
Gun sales and repairs
Bail bonds services
Title companies, land surveyors and appraisers
Car washes
Recreational Vehicle sales and repairs
Mattress stores
Home appliance and repair shops
The supplemental order further amends the non-essential businesses to allow for limited real estate services. While real estate offices must remain closed to the public and in-person showings of occupied properties is prohibited, the order allows for virtual showings at unoccupied properties. Further, the order allows for all necessary activities related to the purchase or sale of a home that is under a purchase contract. These activities and services include in-person viewing by the buyer, title company services, surveys, inspections and appraisals.
All non-essential businesses must continue to keep stores, show rooms and offices closed to the public but the amended order allows for curbside pickup or home delivery of goods. Non-essential businesses that support exempt business operations should work from home when necessary, but may operate at the business location if necessary, so long as the business is not open to the public.
For additional information and clarification, citizens may visit the City’s website and social media sites for updated information or call the New Braunfels COVID-19 Hotline at 830-221-4222 Monday-Friday, 8:00 AM-5:00 PM. In addition, the Hotline will be open this weekend, Saturday, March 28th and Sunday, March 29th form 8:00 AM until noon. Regular Hotline hours will resume on Monday, March 30, 2020.