Young County businesses allowed to operate at 75% capacity

Graham businesses may open at 75% capacity as Texas continues on Gov. Greg Abbott's three-phase plan to re-open the Texas economy. This part of Phase III went into effect for Young County on June 12 at 12:01 a.m.

In an Executive Order GA-26, filed on June 3, Abbott ordered "for any business establishment that is subject to a 50 percent 'total listed occupancy' limit or 'normal operating' limit and that is in a county that has filed with DSHS, and is in compliance with, the requisite attestation form promulgated by DSHS regarding minimal cases of COVID-19, the business establishment may operate at up to 75 percent of the total listed occupancy or normal operating limited of the establishment starting 12:01 a.m. on June 12, 2020."

Young County Judge John Bullock filed an attestation form for Young County on Thursday, April 30 and confirmed with The Graham Leader on May 1, that the form was approved. The current attestation guidelines, as of June 3, state that counties must go to the stricter state standards of 50% if:

• Five consecutive testing/tracking intervals with positivity rates >12% in that interval; or
• The county has more than three positive cases per 1,000 residents; or
• Less than 15% of the surge capacity in hospitals for the catchment area is available.

As of June 16, Young County is listed with 15 active COVID-19 cases, according to DSHS. Since Bullock's attestation form for Young County had already been approved, a new form was not necessary when the new guidelines went into effect on June 3. The most active cases that Young County is allowed under the attestation guidelines is 27. Staff members are not included in determining operating levels, except for manufacturing services and office workers.