More than a month after Galveston County ordered residents to stay home in an effort to stop the spread of COVID-19, it has loosened restrictions when it comes to its unincorporated beaches.
County officials reopened the beaches on April 13 after shuttering them for Easter weekend, according to 12NewsNow.
“The beaches will continue to be heavily patrolled by law enforcement to ensure social distancing requirements are being adhered to,” a post on the county’s Facebook page said. “The unincorporated beaches will continue to be actively monitored by the Galveston County Office of Emergency Management (GCOEM) and if necessary, additional action will be taken if there is evidence people are not following the requirements of social distancing.”
Free testing to anyone whether they have symptoms of the coronavirus or not became available on April 16, with a new site opened in Galveston.
According to the county’s health officials, the COVID-19 curve appears to be flattening, but residents still need to take caution. They attribute the good news to the expanding availability of testing.
Randy Valcin, the director of Public Health Surveillance Programs with the Galveston County Health District, told the Galveston County Daily News his organization will get a clearer picture of the curve as more tests are administered.
“As more testing happens, we’ll get a better idea of if that curve has flattened or if it’s creeping up a little bit,” he said.
For more information, contact the GCOEM at 281-309-5002.
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