Texas DSHS Loosens COVID-19 Restrictions for Lubbock

On Tuesday, February 2nd, 2021, it was confirmed that Trauma Service Area B, which includes Lubbock, was no longer considered a high hospitalization area for COVID-19.

Lubbock Mayor Dan Pope and Lubbock County Judge Curtis Parrish were issued a letter from the Texas Department of State Health Services that lifted the economic restrictions outlined under Governor Greg Abbott's executive orders.

Trauma Service Area B is a section of Texas including many counties in the South Plains. Since October of 2020, the area has had a COVID-19 hospitalization rate above 15 percent, meaning that more than 15 percent of hospital capacity was taken up by COVID-19 patients.

As of late, that hospitalization rate has finally been on a downtrend for Trauma Service Area B, and, as of February 2nd, the area had a COVID-19 hospitalization rate below 15 percent for 7 consecutive days.

This now means that businesses that were only allowed to operate at 50 percent capacity can now operate a 75 percent capacity, and bars that weren't allowed to open at all are now allowed to operate at 50 percent capacity.

Despite all of this, Trauma Service Area B still remains subject to Governor Abbott's executive order, meaning that if the area's COVID-19 hospitalization rate goes back above 15 percent for 7 consecutive days, the restrictions will be put back into place.

Back on October 25th, 2020, Trauma Service Area B saw its 7th straight day of a COVID-19 hospitalization rate of greater than 15 percent, triggering the occupancy restrictions outlined by Gov. Abbott's executive orders.