Officials discuss Laredo coronavirus 'lockdown' now in effect in the Gateway City

Adrian Torrez, 41, wears protection as he walks between stores in downtown Laredo, Texas, Wednesday, March 18, 2020. Torrez, who works at a shoe retail and wholesale business said he has seen a drop in business in response to the coronavirus threat. The majority of businesses in the downtown area sell to the Mexican market. He said that his boss required them to wear the protective gear. less Adrian Torrez, 41, wears protection as he walks between stores in downtown Laredo, Texas, Wednesday, March 18, 2020. Torrez, who works at a shoe retail and wholesale business said he has seen a drop in business ... more Photo: Jerry Lara/San Antonio Express-News Photo: Jerry Lara/San Antonio Express-News Image 1 of / 194 Caption Close Officials discuss Laredo coronavirus 'lockdown' now in effect in the Gateway City 1 / 194 Back to Gallery

After the stroke of midnight on Thursday, the City of Laredo enacted some of the strictest restrictions in Texas in response to the COVID-19 pandemic — according to the city’s Health Department Director Dr. Hector Gonzalez — with the closure of all public and private gatherings of more than 10 people.

READ MORE: LPD working to combat price gouging, maintain order amid coronavrius

The City of Austin took this very step on Tuesday, but larger cities such as San Antonio, Houston and Dallas are not yet imposing these limits.

Laredo City Council enacted this measure at an emergency meeting Tuesday night that was live-streamed on Facebook. It lasted almost four hours, and it generated confusion as to which businesses and activities would have to close during this two-week period.

City Council called it a “lockdown,” but City Manager Robert Eads on Wednesday clarified that this is more of a mandatory restriction of movement as a community. People can still drive, go outside for recreational activity, travel out of town, cross into Mexico or vice versa, for instance.

“(But) we quite honestly would like everybody to hunker down as much as possible,” Eads said.

The city issued guidelines on Wednesday clarifying what would be permitted to stay open in the next two weeks.

Establishments that can remain open include:

Grocery stores, hardware stores.

Office buildings, residential buildings and hotels, etc.

Pharmacies, hospitals, medical facilities and veterinary facilities.

Spaces where persons may be in transit or waiting for transit such as airports and bus terminals.

Public or private gatherings of no more than 10 people in a single enclosed space including businesses where people are present, but it is unusual for them to be within arm’s length of one another for extended periods.

Eads used City Hall as an example. There are still dozens of employees working in this building, but they are sequestered in several offices and rooms. If more than 10 people are enclosed by the same four walls, that is considered a violation of the emergency order, he said.

And anything from a wedding to a backyard carne asada with more than 10 guests present is likewise a violation of the order.

Even the South Texas Food Bank must work in batches of 10 or less at their different locations, Eads said during a teleconference with local media Wednesday.

The following businesses must close for the the next two weeks:

Bars, lounges and private clubs.

Fitness centers and gyms.

Bingos and amusement redemption centers.

Reception halls and party rental places.

Malls.

Entertainment facilities such as bowling alleys, movie theaters, etc.

Restaurants must close their dining rooms but can provide food via take-out, delivery or drive-thru.

Businesses are also permitted to remain open only if no more than 10 people are in a single enclosed or outdoor space, including employees and staff.

Some examples of establishments that can be open with 10 or fewer people are:

Daycare centers and childcare facilities.

Funeral homes/funerals.

Retail stores.

Salons (hair, nails, spas).

Banks and financial institutions.

Laredo police officers and code enforcement officers will be enforcing this order. Upon conviction, violations are a Class C misdemeanor punishable by a fine of $50 to $2,000.

At Wednesday’s teleconference, Mayor Pete Saenz said this measure seems extreme, but it was taken to “slow the curve” — to slow the number of people infected daily by COVID-19, ensuring sufficient capacity in Laredo’s medical system.

Dr. Gonzalez noted Tuesday that there are over 100 rooms, 40 isolation rooms and 600 beds available for acute care patients between Laredo’s two hospitals.

There is still only one confirmed COVID-19 case in Laredo. A total of 32 people have been tested for the novel coronavirus in total with 10 tests coming out negative, Gonzalez said.

The confirmed patient is a woman in her 40s, an employee at Zaffirini Elementary School and a part-time employee of an after-school program at Hillside Recreation Center.

Of the 500 or so children that attend the school, the Health Department has instigated an investigation with 158 students, three teachers and all coaches, plus seven students and all staff at the rec center, Gonzalez said.

At the virtual council meeting on Tuesday, Councilman Marte Martinez, a medical doctor, expressed major concern that this was a locally-transmitted case and that Laredo’s “patient zero” was unknown.

“There’s no overreacting right now, there’s only underreacting,” Martinez said. “The fact that we don’t know when this patient became infected or who infected this patient, and then how long they themselves were contagious, puts us in a completely different algorithm where we’re no longer able to plan ahead. We have to react.”

READ MORE: Laredo Health Department starts investigation into confirmed coronavirus case

Meanwhile, comments poured in on the Facebook livestream imploring City Council to institute the lockdown.