Stephens County hits 55 active COVID-19 cases

Stephens County has witnessed an increase in active cases of COVID-19. Hospitalizations have reached three citizens within the county, and as of Friday, October 23, Stephens County has 55 active cases of COVID-19. County officials are asking that citizens follow health and safety protocols and guidelines put forth by health officials.

After reporting 29 active cases within the Stephens County community on Sunday, October 11, the community case count has nearly doubled. The county started the week of Sept. 28 with nine cases. COVID-19 cases began to increase on Sept. 30 moving to 13 active cases, and by Oct. 2, active cases reached 18.

A raise in numbers continued over that weekend, and by Oct. 4 the county confirmed 23 active cases.

The county noticed a substantial increase on Oct. 16 with an additional 13 new cases moving the total to 46 and finally to where the count is as of Oct. 23.

The increase keeps the county at Stage 5 of the restrictions category, the county’s highest-ranking since July 20.

At stage 5, the community health plan will require face coverings per GA-29 when inside a commercial entity or when outdoors, and social distancing isn’t feasible. The plan will also require shelter in place for all highrisk community members. Traveling outside of Stephens County will be strongly discouraged.

The increase of active cases moved Stephens County off the exempt last week, per Governor Greg Abbott’s mask order in GA-29.

“NOW, THEREFORE, I, Greg Abbott, Governor of Texas, by virtue of the power and authority vested in me by the Constitution and laws of the State of Texas, do hereby order the following on a statewide basis effective at 12:01 p.m. on July 3, 2020:

Every person in Texas shall wear a face covering over the nose and mouth when inside a commercial entity or other building or space open to the public, or when in an outdoor public space. Wherever it is not feasible to maintain six feet of social distanc ing from another person not in the same household; provided, however, that this face-covering requirement does not apply to the following:

1. any person younger than 10 years of age;

2. any person with a medical condition or disability that prevents wearing a face covering.

3. Any person while the person is consuming food or drink, or is seated at a restaurant to eat or drink;

4. any person while the person is (a) exercising outdoors or engaging in physical activity outdoors, and (b) maintaining a safe distance from other people not in the same household;

5. Any person while the person is driving alone or with passengers who are part of the same household as the driver;

6. any person obtaining a service that requires temporary removal of the face-covering for security surveillance, screening, or a need for specific access to the face, such as while visiting a bank or while obtaining a personal-care service involving the face, but only to the extent necessary for the temporary removal;

7. any person while the person is in a swimming pool, lake, or similar body of water;

8. any person who is voting, assisting a voter, serving as a poll watcher, or actively administering an election, but wearing a face-covering is strongly encouraged;

9. any person who is actively providing or obtaining access to religious worship, but wearing a face-covering is strongly encouraged;

10. any person while the person is giving a speech for broadcast or to an audience.