DALLAS (NBCDFW/KRLD) - Leaders in the city and county of Dallas Monday ordered all community gatherings to be capped at 50 people and that all bars, lounges, taverns, nightclubs, health clubs and theaters to close as the city combats the spread of COVID-19.
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Additionally, all restaurants are ordered to temporarily end dine-in service and offer food for pick-up only via drive-through or take-out.
The moves were announced Monday in separate news conferences by Dallas County Judge Clay Jenkins and Dallas Mayor Eric Johnson.
Johnson said the restrictions go into effect at midnight Tuesday. Jenkins said the order will remain in place until 11 a.m. March 20, though they are already working to extend that date.
The restrictions are among the most aggressive rules put forth among cities and counties in Texas for minimizing the spread of the virus.
The mayor said he was taking the action now because the core responsibility of government is to insure the health, safety and welfare of the community.
The regulations will be enforced by code enforcement and the police, as necessary.
Jenkins also said the county will have two new testing sites in addition to the one at Parkland hospital that will be able to test over 5,000 patients a week. The testing centers will be located at the American Airlines Center in Dallas and the Verizon Theatre in Grand Prairie.
Cities impacted by this move are Irving, Garland, Addison, Highland Park, DeSoto, Farmers Branch, Duncanville, and University Park.
Read more from our media partner NBCDFW.
