Dripping Springs City Council officially extended its ongoing disaster declaration through at least May 8 at its April 14 council meeting. According to Mayor Todd Purcell, the extension was approved to stay in step with Hay County’s related emergency orders and regulations as well as guidance from the state.
“I am very proud of our local citizens. I know we had a rough go getting started, but I’m seeing the social distancing; I’m seeing the masks; I’m seeing the glove,” Purcell said. “I think we should applaud our folks every chance we get who are working under extreme circumstances. I think we’re doing what we can to [flatten the] curve that everyone is talking about.”
Purcell said a concern is a lack of testing and treatment sites locally, and that most residents have been traveling to medical facilities in South Austin and Kyle with related inquiries.
According to the city’s latest emergency management report, the city received 55 gallons of hand sanitizer produced and donated by Deep Eddy Vodka on April 8. Deep Eddy had previously donated sanitizer to the city to use during its weekly farmers market.
Over the past week, city staff also removed basketball and volleyball nets from city parks to prevent group activities in public.
The first confirmed coronavirus case in Dripping Springs was reported March 20.
