Austin officials ban gatherings of 250 or more

The City of Austin has prohibited the gathering of 250 people of more within Austin-Travis County in an attempt to slow the transmission of CO-VID 19. 

The ban will go into effect at 2 a.m. on Sunday, March 15 and continue until at least May 1.

Businesses with questions about the new Orders are asked to call Austin 3-1-1, according to a post on the City of Austin Government Facebook.

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The prohibition does not generally include:

  • Office spaces or residential buildings
  • Transit including airports, bus stations, or terminals
  • Grocery stores
  • Shopping malls
  • Hospitals or medical offices and facilities

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The decision to introduce these new restrictions on gatherings of 250 or more people was taken as part of a broader strategy to reduce individuals’ possibility of exposure to COVID-19 in Austin-Travis County, the city explained in a press release.

It follows Austin Public Health’s request on March 13 for event organizers to strongly consider cancelling or postponing events of that size.

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