With COVID-19 Cases Surging, Dallas County Judge Clay Jenkins Urges Outdoor Dining

As new cases of the novel coronavirus continue to be diagnosed in Dallas County at an alarming rate, Judge Clay Jenkins is urging Dallasites to stay out of dining rooms.

In a press release on Monday, Jenkins announced that he penned a letter to Texas Gov. Greg Abbott urging yet another statewide closure of in-restaurant dining along with a slew of recommendations like limiting outdoor gatherings larger than 10 people and the closure of venues like bowling alleys, movie theaters, and gyms.

“Please do not frequent businesses on this list, and do not participate in in-restaurant dining unless it is on a patio,” Jenkins said in the release. “We must all do our part to #FlattenTheCurve and the most important things we can do are avoid unnecessary trips in the first place and be 100 percent masked when we do venture out of our homes.”

The recommendation came as Dallas County reported 1,214 new cases of COVID-19 on Monday, the highest single-day number of new cases since the pandemic began. The county also reported its “biggest jump ever” in hospitalizations related to COVID-19 cases — a single day increase of 16 percent — according to Jenkins.

While dining on patios could come with a lower risk of contracting COVID-19 than sitting inside a cramped restaurant, the best option is still ordering takeout or delivery to eat at home.