Round Rock extends face-covering requirement into December

Texas seeing uptick in COVID-19 hospitalizations

Texas is currently seeing an increase in hospitalizations due to COVID-19 across the state, with the highest being in El Paso.

ROUND ROCK, Texas - The Round Rock City Council has extended the requirement for face coverings to be worn in public places through December.

On Thursday, City Council readopted the emergency ordinance, originally passed in June, which extended the requirement through Dec. 28.

By city ordinance, all individuals over the age of ten are required to wear face coverings in public places in Round Rock when adequate social distancing is not possible. Businesses are also required to display notices of the requirement on their premises.

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The Round Rock City Council has extended the requirement for face coverings to be worn in public places through December.

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The requirement to wear face coverings does not apply in the following situations:

When exercising or engaging in physical activity
When in a building or participating in an activity that requires security surveillance or screening, such as banks
While consuming food or drink
When doing so poses a greater mental or physical health, safety, or security risk
When outside with a group of only members of a single household
When other mitigation strategies, such as plexiglass, provide adequate separation

The ordinance is in response to a steady increase in the number of COVID-19 cases and hospitalizations in Round Rock over the past month.

"It's important that we take immediate action to slow the dramatic increase of COVID-19 cases in our area," Mayor Craig Morgan said in a release from the city. "While we are beginning to see more residents following health officials' recommendations to wear masks, the goal of this emergency ordinance is to ensure everyone is doing their part to keep our businesses open and our community moving in the right direction."

A first-time violation of the ordinance will result in a verbal or written warning. The original ordinance stated that ensuing violations were punishable by fines starting at $200 and escalating up to $1,000.

On Thursday, July 9, City Council amended the ordinance to state that, after receiving a warning, anyone violating the ordinance would be subject to a fine of $200 for each violation.

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