Originally posted 6:47 p.m. March 25
The city of McKinney issued a shelter-in-place order March 25 that will go into effect at 12:01 a.m. March 26.
The order, which will last until midnight April 1, requires residents to stay in their homes unless they are leaving for essential activities, such as accessing healthcare, shopping for groceries and necessary supplies; or traveling to work at an essential business.
In addition, the order mandates that all nonessential businesses operating in McKinney must close.
Essential businesses, as defined in the order, include healthcare operations, government functions, food service providers, including grocery stores, liquor stores, gas stations and convenience stores and farmers’ markets that sell food products and household staples among several others.
“To the greatest extent possible, all essential businesses shall comply with the social distancing guidelines attached, including maintaining six-foot social distancing for both employees and the general public,” the order states.
The order also continues earlier provisions put in place by the city that limits social gatherings to 10 people or less and requires bars and restaurants to cease dine-in services.
“I am convinced that the risks of underreacting are so much greater than the risks of overreacting, and although we hope for the best, we must be prudent and plan for the worst,” Mayor George Fuller said in a March 25 news release. “It is going to take all of us, working together, to ensure that we put the health and safety of our community above all else, and I have no doubt that is what we will do.”
Fuller said that the document is substantially consistent with Dallas, Tarrant and Denton counties' orders issued over the past week.
"Where it deviates, includes the addition of required procedures and practices that are mandated for any identified-essential business that remains open as well the stated fine of up to $1,000 for each violation of the declaration," Fuller said in a March 25 Facebook post.
For more information, visit the city's website or view the order here.
