Essential businesses had been required to have one-way aisle foot traffic to promote social distancing in the city of Buda, which was changed by new order announced at the April 21 city council meeting. Haehn said as long as the number of hospital beds available for coronavirus patients stays steady, he hopes to eliminate a restriction from his order each week going forward with the guidance of other leaders in Hays County and Texas.
“We want to slowly open the economy in Buda with the coordination of the county and state,” Haehn said.
Haehn started his update with council by telling them enough coronavirus tests are available in Hays County for residents referred for testing by physicians.
He said the decision to open the local economy is centered on whether there is the capacity to test and hospitalization numbers remain low.
“The answer to that is yes,” Haehn said. “We received reports from all of our testing agencies and labs and testing is available. Capacity is there.”
Haehn said increased testing will show a higher number of cases, but most persons testing positive will have mild to moderate symptoms.
“As we get more tested, you will see more positive and confirmed, and more active cases,” Haehn said, adding it is necessary to maintain social distancing and abide by the suggestions of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to curb the spread of coronavirus.
Following the guidelines and the continued restriction of visitations to senior citizen facilities should help those who need to avoid coronavirus the most, the mayor said.
“We have to protect the people that are vulnerable,” he said.
The new order by Haehn still requires all doors at businesses used for public use to “be situated in a way that customers do not have to touch the door entering or exiting the business.”
According to Hays County numbers at 10 p.m. April 21, there have been 140 confirmed cases with 928 tests administered in the county of approximately 230,000 people. Buda has seven active cases, 10 patients who have recovered and the county’s only recorded death due to coronavirus. Neighboring Kyle has the most cases in Hays County with 34 active cases and 23 patients who have recovered. To the north of Buda, Travis County has 1,233 confirmed cases and has had 27 deaths.
“At what point do you say, ‘OK, the majority of people are exposed and how do we control this and still open the economy,’” Haehn said. “I think we have enough bed space ... to cover us. We’ll get from under this as fast as we can.”
