In Williamson County, mixed views on masks

While Williamson County has seen a sharp increase in the number of coronavirus cases this month, city and county officials had mixed opinions on whether businesses should have to require face coverings.

Williamson County Judge Bill Gravell, Round Rock Mayor Craig Morgan and Leander Mayor Troy Hill all said they were not going to consider mandating that businesses require employees and customers to wear face masks.

On Wednesday, Austin Mayor Steve Adler issued an order requiring businesses in the city to come up with a plan requiring face masks.

Morgan said that puts an unfair burden on businesses and makes them have to worry about policing customers while trying to rebuild from the effects of the coronavirus pandemic.

However, Cedar Park Mayor Corbin Van Arsdale and Georgetown Mayor Dale Ross said the issue was under discussion in their towns.

Van Arsdale said the City Council will discuss the issue next week. He said he has been talking to staff and the Cedar Park Chamber of Commerce to find out what businesses in the area are already doing.

About 50% to 60% of customers wear masks inCedar Park, depending on what store they are in, Van Arsdale said.

Ross said Georgetown was considering all options. “At this point we don’t know whether we will do that (require masks) or not,” he said.

Some people in Round Rock’s downtown area on Friday also had varied reactions about face coverings being required.

Leander resident Sarah Perrotta, who was sitting with her husband, Kerry, at a table outside Star Coffee, said wearing a face mask was probably a good idea inside a crowded business.

Esther Jung, the owner of Three Star Candy in Round Rock, said she would like it if her customers were required to wear masks.

“It protects me and other people,” she said while wearing a mask.

But William Gasper of Cedar Park, who was walking down Main Street in Round Rock, said he has never worn a mask while going to restaurants and grocery stores. “I keep my immune system up and I keep my distance from people,” he said.

At nearby Recuerdos Tex-Mex restaurant, a sign outside said it was closed for two weeks as of Monday because a few of its employees had tested positive for COVID-19.

According to the Williamson County and Cities Health District, the area saw a 95% increase in active confirmed cases over a seven-day period last week, from 213 active cases on June 11 to 416 active cases as of Wednesday.

It was the largest increase in the number of confirmed cases, and also in the percentage of cases, the county has had since it started reporting confirmed cases on March 18, said Deb Strahler, a health district spokeswoman.

By Friday the county’s active confirmed coronavirus cases had increased 82% in the past week. It went from 264 active cases on June 13 to 480 cases Friday.

According to the health district, 13,031 tests coronavirus tests had been performed in the county as of Friday, and 8.5% of those had positive results for coronavirus.

Williamson County reported 1,159 confirmed positive cases on Friday, including 32 deaths and 647 recoveries.

Strahler said the sharp increase is due to a combination of factors.

“We are mostly hearing that people believe they were infected when they went back to work, or were with groups of people,” said Strahler.

She said other reasons include people letting their guards down and not wearing masks, attending protests, the state relaxing occupancy limits in some businesses and an increase in testing.

“The percentage of tests that are positive is increasing both at (health district) testing sites and other testing in the county reported to us by the state, so it’s (the increase) not just due to increased testing but an actual increase of disease in the community,” she said.

Strahler said cases at nursing homes made up a small percentage of the increased cases, but she did not provide the percentage.

Gov. Greg Abbott allowed restaurants to increase their occupancy to 75% starting on June 12.

Abbott also specified that a 50% occupancy limit on other businesses does not apply to hair salons, nail salons, barbershops, massage establishments, tanning studios and tattoo businesses if work stations are kept at least 6 feet apart.

The health district is investigating clusters at workplaces such as restaurants, day cares and nursing homes, but can’t release any specifics on the investigations, Strahler said. A cluster of cases consists of two or more cases of confirmed coronavirus, according to the district.

The health district has received reports of some restaurants temporarily closing for disinfection, she said.

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This article originally appeared on Austin American-Statesman: In Williamson County, mixed views on masks