Coronavirus a Focus Here as Thousands of Antiques Vendors From Around the World Pour into Fayette Co.

Update Friday afternoon, March 13: County Judge Joe Weber issued a local disaster declaration Friday afternoon, March 13, and ordered the cancellation of the upcoming Spring antiques shows in northern Fayette County. Read the latest here: https://www.fayettecountyrecord.com/articles/2020/03/13/judge-declares-local-disaster-over-coronavirus-concerns.

Update Thursday morning, March 12: The story below went to press before the Fayette County Commissioners Court meeting on Thursday morning, March 12. At that meeting, County Judge Joe Weber reiterated that he is not calling for the cancelation of the upcoming Spring Antiques Shows in Round Top and Warrenton, an event which annually draws thousands to the northern side of Fayette County. During extended remarks about the coronavirus, the Judge listed four "gamechangers" that would cause him to consider ordering the shows closed:

• If Governor Greg Abbott declared a statewide enrgency.
• If there was a sudden state or nationwide increase in infections.
• If the number of community-transmitted cases suddenly increased.
• If a case were detected in Fayette County or nearby areas.

So far, most if not all of the 23 cases in Texas reported as of 10 a.m. on Thursday, March 12, were contracted during travel elsewhere or through contact with travelers from elsewhere; one case in Montgomery County is under investigation for possible community transmission, according to the Texas Department of State Health Services. There have been no deaths from the virus in Texas. According to the federal Centers for Disease Control, there have been 1,215 cases and 36 deaths in the United States, as of 4 p.m. eastern time on Wednesday, March 11.

"The security, safety, health and general welfare of the residents of Fayette County is our number one priority," Weber said at Thursday's meeting. "Do not panic. I think most of the country has. We have a history in this county of pulling together and helping each other. I'm dismayed when I go to the local stores and see the shelves empty. I think that's quite selfish, because now people who need some of these things now don't have it because others have horded it. I know a lot of that is panic driven.

"We have to make some important decisions," Weber added. "I've got to go with the facts, the data and the science as we make decisions. One shoe doesn't fit all. I hear, 'My gosh, Judge, they shut the (Houston) Rodeo down, they shut the basketball arenas down and they closed South by Southwest.' Well, they did, but you've got to take things on a case-by-case basis. We don't have a large arena here that seats 20,000 people and people sit side-by-side and next to each other for three hours. A lot of the activities in this county are in the open air. People aren't particularly close together. I'm going to do what I think is right for our county based on facts, data and science. 

Here is the story that appears in the Friday, March 12 issue:

County Judge Joe Weber said County and local health officials are prepared to deal with the novel coronavirus, although he said no infections have been reported locally.

“There are no cases in Fayette County,” Weber said in an interview with the Record on Monday. 

Weber said he has heard from some local residents asking him to cancel the upcoming spring antiques shows in Round Top and Warrenton.

“We don’t have the power to do that without declaring an emergency,” Weber said.

“The tents are going up and people are running around everywhere up there,” Weber added. “Even if (the County) said that we’re not going to have an antiques fair this spring, we’d still have thousands of people out there.”

Weber said he has gathered contact information for about 11,000 vendors so that the County can communicate with them if the need arises. He said vendors are planning preventative measures, such as wearing gloves when handling money and merchandise.

Weber said he has not heard of anyone in Fayette County who has been in contact with an infected person elsewhere. He urged citizens to be aware of the disease, but he said people should not panic.

He gave the following advice to citizens: “Use common sense. Wash your hands. If you’re feeling bad, stay home. The elderly and people with underlying conditions should stay away from large meetings, stay off cruise lines and avoid flying.”

Weber said county officials have been on daily conference calls with state and regional medical officials to stay updated on the virus and the illness known as COVID-19. 

“As a county, we are in constant contact with state and federal folks,” he added. “We are coordinating with St. Mark’s Medical Center. They have taken measures to have areas in the hospital where they can isolate people if they need to.”

“Will we not have a case in Fayette County? I can’t say that,” Weber said. “But we’ve done as much as we can do to prepare for it. If we do get it, we’ll handle it and get through it.

“Our country has survived the worst civil war in the history of the world, world wars, pandemics that have hit the whole country and we have always pulled through it,” Weber added.