COVID-19 Update

 

Opening Texas

As of March 10, 2021, pursuant to Governor Abbott's Executive Order GA-34, the prior mask mandate has been lifted and all businesses are allowed to open up to 100% capacity. 

Texas businesses and local governmental entities are still able to adopt occupancy restrictions and mandate masks on their premises.  Additionally, if COVID-19 hospitalizations in any of the 22 hospital regions in Texas get above 15% of the hospital bed capacity in that region for seven straight days, a County Judge may mandate COVID-19 mitigation strategies.

More information may be found at the Governor's Strike Force to Open Texas website.  This website includes information for businesses as well as consumers who patronize the newly reopened industries.

Texts of the Governor's Executive Orders can be found on the Legislative Reference Library's website.

                                                                                                                                                              

Local COVID-19 Related Orders

Select Local Government Orders

• The City of Austin and Travis County have extended their mask mandates to April 21, 2021.  Attorney General Paxton filed suit in Travis County Court to enjoin the orders; the temporary injunction was denied; trial is scheduled for March 26, 2021.

                                                                                                                                                             

Federal Government Resources

U.S. Dept. of Homeland Security Cybersecurity & Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA)

• CISA Guidance on the Essential Critical Infrastructure Workforce, Version 4.0 (8/18/20)
• CISA Guidance on the Essential Critical Infrastructure Workforce, Version 3.1 (5/19/20)
• CISA Guidance on the Essential Critical Infrastructure Workforce, Version 3.0 (4/21/20)
• CISA Guidance on the Essential Critical Infrastructure Workforce, Version 2.0 (3/31/20)

OSHA Guidance and Enforcement Resources

• OSHA Construction Work Webpage (5/27/20)
• OSHA Enforcement Response Plan for Caronavirus Disease 2019 (issued 5/19/20)
• OSHA 3990-03 Guidelines
• OSHA COVID-19 Guidance for the Construction Workforce (Spanish)
• Enforcement Guidance on Decontamination of Filtering Facepiece Respirators in Healthcare During the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) Pandemic (4/24/20)
• Discretion in Enforcement when Considering an Employer's Good Faith Efforts During the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) Pandemic (4/16/20)
• Interim Enforcement Response Plan for Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) (4/13/20)
• Enforcement Guidance for Recording Cases of Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) (4/10/20)
• Expanded Temporary Enforcement Guidance on Respiratory Protection Fit-Testing for N95 Filtering Facepieces in All Industries During the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) Pandemic (4/8/20) 
• Enforcement Guidance for Use of Respiratory Protection Equipment Certified under Standards of Other Countries or Jurisdictions During the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) Pandemic (4/3/20)
• Enforcement Guidance for Respiratory Protection and the N95 Shortage Due to the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) Pandemic (4/3/20)
• Temporary Enforcement Guidance - Healthcare Respiratory Protection Annual Fit-Testing for N95 Filtering Facepieces During the COVID-19 Outbreak (3/14/20)

Federal Department of Labor Resources

• Department of Labor information on federal Families First Coronavirus Response Act of 2020
• Families First Caronavirus Response Act (FFCRA) Poster (English) (Spanish) (Korean)

Other Resources

• Facial Hairstyles and Filtering Facepiece Respirators
• Understanding the Difference: Surgical Mask v. N95 Respirator
• Understanding the Difference: Surgical Mask v. N95 Respirator v. Elastomeric Half Facepiece Respirator
• Handwashing tutorials
• AGC Suggested practices
• Essential Worker Letter Template from Nueces County

                                                                                                                                                              

Insurance Resources

Click HERE for the Texas Mutual's Caronavirus Resource website.

Also, courtesy of the International Risk Management Institute, below are links to some articles on insurance coverage issues surrounding the COVID-19 pandemic. 

• COVID-19—When Civil Authorities Take Over, Are You Covered?
• Coronavirus (COVID-19) Business Income Losses—Are They Covered?
• Coronavirus (COVID-19)—Is It Compensable?
• Pandemic Strategies: Risk Management Lessons from the Ebola Crisis

                                                                                                                                                              

There is an urgent need for personal protection equipment, in particular N95 face masks, paper face masks and face shields, and disposable gloves.  The Texas College of Emergency Physicians and the Texas Medical Association have organized the following donation spots across the state.  Search your inventory and deliver anything you can spare to one of the locations across the state.  It is critical that we support our health workers during this crisis.

The Texas Medical Association maintains a website with details for PPE Donation Sites around the state.  The website may be found HERE.