Texas County, Hidalgo, issued a stay at home order Monday and placed a 10 p.m. to 5 a.m. curfew, but officials may not enforce it.

The stay at home order goes into effect at the Texas county on Wednesday at 12:01 a.m., and it is to last until August 5 at 11:59 p.m.

The stay at home order will also limit travels in Hidalgo and reiterate the importance of facial coverings while outdoors, said a report from KGBT-TV Valley Central.

The order was explained in a report from The Hill. The order lets people leave their homes if they have essential jobs, have medical emergencies, need essential services, or participate in an outdoor event. Those in shared and outdoor physical spaces have to practice social distancing by at least six feet.

In the order, it was "highly encouraged and recommended" that Hidalgo businesses "cease all activities" if they cannot provide services by curbside, drive-through, or take-out means.

The order also states that those aged below 17 years, old have to be with parents or guardians, if outside their homes for an essential activity.

Hidalgo County issued the order as the county reported 524 new COVID-19 cases and recorded 34 deaths on Monday. Overall, there have been 12,787 positive COVID-19 cases and 318 deaths in the county.

Hidalgo is the largest Texas county, and it was ranked sixth with the most coronavirus cases, according to the state's Department of State Health Services.

The Lone Star State has faced struggles in fighting the growing coronavirus numbers in the past weeks as it has seen surges in case numbers.

The Order May Not Be Enforced

Hidalgo County Judge Richard Cortez announced the order but noted that he lacks the ability to enforce it. "I don't think I'm going to need it," he said.

Cortez thinks locking down people and businesses is "not the sole answer." He believed Texas would need to take a "combination of things", reported Texas Scorecard.

"I am asking for all of us to come together and fight this battle as one," Cortez said. He said all Hidalgo residents are "part of the solution."

"This action will help us do the right thing to save and protect each other from this deadly disease by sheltering at home," he said.

Under the current orders set by Governor Greg Abbott, local governments cannot enforce their stay-at-home orders. This is different from when they were allowed to do in the early stages of the pandemic, reported Texas Tribune.

Then, Abbott said he believed local officials would make decisions for the best of their communities when responding to the virus.

Since the order only stated the restrictions are "highly encouraged and recommended," it does not have enforcement mechanisms. The governor supports such orders, said Abbott's spokesman John Wittman late Monday.

In the order, officials can't detain, arrest or confine anyone for violating the order.

Wittman said enforcing the protocols that are already in place is proven to slow the virus's spread, so "it is essential" that local officials follow through.

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