City Prohibits Outdoor Gatherings of 100 People or More as Covid-19 Case Count Rises to 7,814

June 24, 2020 - San Antonio

Cruel summer. San Antonio Mayor Ron Nirenberg (pictured) signed a second addendum to his Eighth Emergency Health Declaration on Wednesday prohibiting outdoor gatherings of 100 or more people to contain the spread of Covid-19. Screenshot: Facebook.

Cruel summer. San Antonio Mayor Ron Nirenberg (pictured) signed a second addendum to his Eighth Emergency Health Declaration on Wednesday prohibiting outdoor gatherings of 100 or more people to contain the spread of Covid-19. Screenshot: Facebook.

By Jade Esteban Estrada - Staff Writer, San Antonio Sentinel

WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW:

  • The City of San Antonio now prohibits outdoor gatherings of 100 people or more
  • There are now 7,814 confirmed Covid-19 cases in Bexar County
  • Locally, there have now been 104 deaths attributed to the coronavirus

Mayor Ron Nirenberg signed a second addendum to his Eighth Emergency Health Declaration on Wednesday prohibiting outdoor gatherings of 100 or more people to contain the spread of Covid-19.  The current number of coronavirus cases has risen to 7,814, a 341 increase from Tuesday. The death toll is 104.

“The virus has gained a foothold in our community as the state continues to open," said Nirenberg. "We need to act aggressively to regain control and slow its spread with every tool available."

The City’s addendum is consistent with Texas Governor Greg Abbott’s June 23 proclamation amending Executive Order GA-26. With the rise of Covid-19 cases in Texas, Abbott expanded the ability of mayors and county judges to impose restrictions on outdoor gatherings estimated to be in excess of 100 individuals.

Abbott's decision to give local leaders the authority to regulate public events comes as the state is reporting a dramatic increase in people hospitalized due to Covid-19. 

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San Antonio has recently experienced a rise in the number of daily Covid-19 cases, a significant increase in the number of patients hospitalized, in the ICU, or on ventilators due to coronavirus complications necessitating the need to limit large gatherings of people to slow the spread of cases.

Here is a list of exemptions from the ban:

  • Any services listed by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) in its Guidance on the Essential Critical Infrastructure Workforce

  • Religious services

  • Local government operations

  • Child-care services

  • Youth camps

  • Recreational sports programs for both youths and adults

  • Professional, collegiate, or similar sporting events

  • Swimming pools

  • Water parks

  • Museums and libraries

  • Zoos, aquariums, natural caverns, and similar facilities

  • Rodeos and equestrian events

  • Amusement parks and carnivals


Jade Esteban Estrada is a staff writer at the San Antonio Sentinel, where he covers public health and other citywide issues. He can be reached at jade@sasentinel.com.