City of Eagle Pass and Maverick County Form Task Force to Enforce COVID-19 Restrictions
By: Ricardo E. Calderon, Eagle Pass Business Journal, Inc., Copyright 2020
Eagle Pass Mayor Luis E. Sifuentes announced at his daily press conference on the COVID-19 Pandemic on Monday, March 30, 2020 that the City of Eagle Pass and Maverick County have formed a select law enforcement task force to enforce the restrictions imposed by the Third Declaration of State of Disaster Public Health Emergency by both the City of Eagle Pass and Maverick County, including the issuance of citations and fines of up to $1,000 to people who are in noncompliance or in violation of the COVID-19 restrictions.
Sifuentes introduced Eagle Pass Police Department Lieutenant Amy Gonzalez to elaborate on this newly formed law enforcement task force. Lieutenant Gonzalez stated the newly composed task force will include officers from the Maverick County Sheriff’s Department, Constables, Eagle Pass Independent School District Police Department, and Eagle Pass Police Department. Gonzalez added that task force officers will be driving throughout the community to ensure that residents obey the restrictions imposed by the Third Declaration such as not gathering in a group of 10 or more people, not using any public or school parks, and the youth curfew. Any persons found to be violating the restrictions will be issued a citation with a fine of up to $1,000.
Mayor Sifuentes updated the community on the total number of COVID-19 tests done in the community with a total of 68 people tested, one confirmed positive, 42 negative, and 27 awaiting test results. Sifuentes noted that while only one person has tested positive in the community, all residents should stay at home and only go out for essential needs such as grocery shopping (one person per family), doctor visits, gasoline purchases, and traveling to work.
Sifuentes emphasized that people should really stay at home and practice social distancing during the next two to three weeks in order to prevent the spread of COVID-19 in the community, citing President Donald J. Trump’s extension of stay at home and social distancing guidelines to April 30, 2020.
Sifuentes also highlighted new restrictions imposed by the United States Department of Homeland Security regarding essential travel between the United States and Mexico at the two City of Eagle Pass International Bridges and Port of Entry, particularly that travelers from Mexico into the United States will no longer be allowed to come for grocery shopping and to purchase gasoline or diesel at local food retail stores and gasoline stations as they are no longer deemed to be considered “essential travel.” Sifuentes stated these new stricter “essential travel” restrictions had been given to the City of Eagle Pass on Monday, March 30th, at 3:30 P.M. by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security. These restrictions are part of the bi-national agreement between the U.S. and Mexico to temporarily close the southern border to prevent the spread of COVID-19 in both countries.
County Judge David R. Saucedo stated that the City and County will distribute the disinfectant bleach once again on Tuesday, March 31st, at five locations, including Shelby Park, Maverick County Lake, Old Eagle Pass Junior High (Del Rio Blvd.), EPISD Student Activity Center, and Precinct 2 Nick Carr Center (Ruela Street). Saucedo added that March 31st will be the last day of free distribution of the disinfectant for now, but that Commissioners Court was willing to bring it back if necessary.
County Judge Saucedo noted that Maverick County Commissioners Court would be having a new emergency meeting to establish the Local Health Authority adopted by the City of Eagle Pass and provide enforcement provisions. Saucedo stated that Mayor Sifuentes and him are continuously reviewing the COVID-19 pandemic situation in the community and country and may possibly have to adopt stricter regulations in the immediate future if necessary.
The City of Eagle Pass and Maverick County are currently in a voluntary stay at home environment and have not enacted a stricter shelter in place (mandatory) declaration for its citizens such as other communities like Del Rio and Val Verde County, Laredo and Webb County, San Antonio and Bexar County, Austin and Travis County, Dallas and Dallas County, El Paso and El Paso County, Houston and Harris County, and others. President Trump and Texas Governor Greg Abbott have not issued a national and state-mandated shelter in place declaration and are leaving it up to each state and city to decide for themselves. Recent scientific modeling studies of the COVID-19 virus estimates that up to 240,000 Americans could potentially die from the fatal Coronavirus pandemic afflicting the nation.
Making his first public appearance at the March 30th press conference was newly appointed Local Health Authority Dr. Victoriano Valdez. Dr. Valdez stated that his job was to promote public health and suppress the COVID-19 pandemic in the community. Dr. Valdez added that his job is to monitor all persons who have been tested for or suspected of COVID-19 in the community. He gave three situations that he will be monitoring, including all people who have tested positive for Coronavirus, all persons who live with people who tested positive for Coronavirus, and all persons whose doctor feels they may have a positive test of COVID-19.
Dr. Valdez highlighted that all medical facilities, healthcare providers, and physicians are required to report to his office daily before 5 P.M. all of the COVID-19 tests performed, how many tested positive, negative or are awaiting results, and the names of the patients. He also emphasized that any person in our community who travels out of town and gets a COVID-19 test, whether its negative or positive, must also report to his office that they have been tested.
Dr. Valdez noted that as of Monday, March 30th, there has only been one person who tested positive for COVID-19 in Eagle Pass, and that our community is lucky compared to other communities that have had larger number of positive tests. However, Dr. Valdez stated that even one person with COVID-19 in our community is one too many and encouraged everyone to report all tests done on local citizens and to stay at home and practice social distancing.
The United States now has the largest number of reported Coronavirus cases with over 160,000 positive tests and over 3,000 deaths as of March 30th. The City of San Antonio reported a total of 168 positive tests of COVID-19 with six deaths, the City of Laredo reported 37 positive tests of COVID-19 while the City of Del Rio reported five positive tests as of Monday, March 30th.
Mayor Sifuentes, County Judge Saucedo, and Dr. Valdez highly encourage all residents to please stay at home and practice social distancing for the interest of one’s and their family’s health and safety. The Coronavirus is for real and deadly.
