Milam County Judge Steve Young says it’s time for citizens to wear masks when they go out in public.
The number of COVID-19 cases quickly went from two to seven in recent days. One was reported Friday, one Monday and two more Tuesday morning.
A seventh was added Wednesday morning, but that was an “old case,” someone who has already recovered according to Young.
On Monday county commissioners extended the Shelter-In-Place order to May 4.
There’s much more happening as Rockdale and Milam residents face a couple of weeks, at least, described by U.S. Surgeon General Jerome Adams as “our Pearl Harbor moment, our 9-11.”
The Rockdale ISD has suspended its free lunch deliveries to students 18-and-under indefinitely.
Gov. Greg Abbott has ordered all Texas schools to remain closed until at least May 4.
A giant, all-precautions-taken food giveaway served almost 900 persons Thursday in the Rockdale KC Hall parking lot.
7 AND COUNTING— After going more than a week without a new positive COVID-19 test result, the tally quickly went from two to six.
Young reported Friday afternoon a third Milam resident tested positive for COVID-19.
The count went to four Monday, then five and six Tuesday morning.
Young said on Wednes day morning county officials were advised the previous evening a seventh case was confirmed but it was a person who tested positive last month, self-quarantined and “has already recovered,” adding: “Of course it still counts as a Milam case.”
“These are persons who live in the county,” Young said. Neither names nor locations are being released, citing privacy concerns.
He said the Milam County Health Department is, as with all the previous cases, contacting those who might have had contact with those who have tested positive.
“If you had contact with these persons immediately before or after the infection, you will be contacted,” he said.
Only one of the seven cases has required hospitalization.
EXTENSION—Commissioners extended the current Shelter-In-Place order to May 4 at a phone-conference session Monday to basically bring the county’s decree in sync with the Gov. Greg Abbott’s. It’s similar to what is already in place but with a few notable changes.
“Monday’s order encourages, not requires, Milam County residents to cover their noses and mouths while in public,” Young said.
(To read the entire revised order, with its numerous exemptions for “essential personnel,” go to https:// www.milamcounty.net/ upload/page/9873/Shelter%20in%20Place%204-6-2020.pdf)
The new order went into effect Monday. In addition to the mask (or cloth) request, probably the biggest change deals with to-go orders from restaurants.
“If you want food from a restaurant call ahead and use the drive-through or have them bring it out to your car,” Young said. “Do not go into the restaurant to pick it up.”
Social gatherings “of any number of persons outside a household or living unit” are generally prohibited.
Exceptions are made for “essential services, essential governmental services, essential travel or essential activities.”
The new order, like the governor’s, allows church services in some circumstances where there’s no capability for remote (online) services.
But those services must comply with strict guidelines, including social distancing.
However, a “parking lot service” where attendees stay in their vehicles, is allowed.
Visits to nursing homes are now prohibited.
The new order extends provisions of the previous one, which mandated an in-house curfew for those 18-and-under from 9 p.m. to 8 a.m. unless accompanied by a parent or guardian or “engaged in bona fide work.”
It also does not change, alter or amend any provision of a child custody order.
See Young’s weekly column, page 5A.
MASKS—Young said Clint Brown of Bitmain’s Dory Creek Operations (at the former Alcoa Rockdale Smelter) has offered 7,000 masks which are being made available to the public in upcoming days with details to follow.
“Also, Bill Harris of Cameron Tire is repairing broken straps on a shipment of masks.”
Gov. Abbott on Monday announced that Texas received 2.5 million masks in the past 24 hours, and will receive an additional three million masks by Saturday.
Milam first responders will be tested for COVID-19 at the invitation of Williamson County Judge Bill Gravell Jr., Young said.
DISTRIBUTION—The biggest event in Milam County since Shelter-In-Place went into effect two weeks ago was undoubtedly the Central Texas Food Bank’s (CTFB) free food distribution which took place under extraordinary circumstances Thursday in the KC Hall parking lot.
The effort provided food for 881 individuals in 351 mostly sheltering-in-place families.
“We took many precautions,” Pam Warren, chair of Rockdale Christian Services said. “Rather than people lining up individually, as in past distributions, it was a drive-through, rather than persons getting out of their vehicles.”
“Before distribution began, CTFB volunteers visited each vehicle—maintaining a six-foot difference—to identify how many families were on board and collect key information,” she said.
Once vehicles drove around the KC Hall and reached the distribution point on its western side, volunteers placed boxes of food in the client’s car trunk or pickup bed.
“If there was not room in the trunk, the food was placed beside the car for the client to load themselves,” Warren said. “Our volunteers did not enter the vehicles.”
Warren said each volunteer wore gloves and maintained appropriate distancing. “Masks were optional,” she said.
Each family received a 25-to-28-pound box of shelf-stable food, package of fresh meat and “stew bag” of carrots, potatoes and onions.
“We were told the first car arrived at 4 a.m.,” Warren said. (The distribution started at 9). “Shortly before 8, the cars waiting to get in line were parked all the way around the KC Hall and extending down US 79.”
The Rockdale Police Department, Milam County Sheriff’s Department and Department of Public Safety assisted with traffic control.
NEXT DISTRIBUTION—Warren said the next CTFB distribution is set for 9 to 11 a.m. Thursday, April 16.
“It will be the same rules as the one we just had,” Warren said.
The KC Hall itself is not open during the distributions.
MEALS SUSPENDED—Last Wednesday was the final day, at least for now, for Rockdale ISD to offer free meals at several locations for students 18 and under.
“These are uncharted waters we are trying to navigate,” Supt. Dr. Denise Monzingo said.
“This (suspending meal service) was a very difficult decision, but we have so many people preparing and distributing each day that we are not able to keep them safe through social distancing, thus we put them at risk,” she said.
“We also put our families at risk as we pass out the food. We will reevaluate weekly to see when we can start back. We apologize because we know this will be difficult for some of our families. Please call the district office at 512-430-6000, ext. 1023 if you have any meal emergencies,” she said.
FROZEN FOOD—Frozen food distributions for senior citizens are gearing up.
Rockdale Senior Citizens Center is expected to begin distributing frozen meals at midweek, according to director Carolyn Cooper.
“It’s a work in progress,” she said earlier in the week. “Please call the center at 512-446-2666 for information about when we will start and the hours.”
While Bea’s Kitchen in Cameron has been closed until further notice the county is making make frozen meals available to anyone in the Cameron area over 60-years-old.
To sign up for these meals, call 254-605-0275 to register. Pick up at Bea’s Kitchen.
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