By Sahar Chmais and Megan Wehring
The masks that came on one year ago are coming off — but that will not erase the changes the COVID-19 pandemic brought to Hays County. In a matter of one year, the virus took its toll on every household in its own unique way.
COVID-19 affected the future of all residents differently. Hays County witnessed the death of 229 people, leaving many heartbroken with altered life plans. Some residents have been living with long-haul symptoms, unsure when the pain will subside.
Health was not the only adverse effect of COVID-19; businesses had to learn to adjust to the virus at the drop of a hat. Many found their way and continued to serve the community, but some could not make it through the pressures of the pandemic.
These side effects of COVID-19 became prominent in March 2020, and one year later, residents continue to feel the fatigue. Businesses and residents now have a choice on whether they want to wear their masks in public or attend establishments. But in the year it took to get here, Hays County fought countless battles.
The county was declared a vaccine hub in January 2021. As of March 7, 30,397 Hays County residents have been vaccinated with at least one dose while 15,948 are fully vaccinated, according to the Texas Department of State Health Services (DSHS). Not all vaccines from the hub go to Hays County residents, but the hub is not the only vaccination site. Private pharmacies and medical offices issued vaccines before the county had access.
Approximately 16% of the county population is partially or fully vaccinated. According to Hays County figures, as of March 8, there are 15,617 recovered residents and 728 active cases, bringing the county’s natural immunity to about 9%. Officials say it is not easy to account for all of those who were infected because many people are asymptomatic and might not have been tested.
COVID-19 vaccinations are in high demand with limited supply, similar to testing at the beginning of the pandemic. Hays County is expected to receive 4,680 doses weekly to allow even more people to be vaccinated. Education and child care personnel are now authorized to receive the vaccine under the Phase 1B group.
With the number of distributed vaccines as a factor, Governor Greg Abbott issued Executive Order GA-34 to lift the face mask mandate in Texas and increase capacity of all businesses and facilities to 100%. Businesses can still limit capacity or implement safety protocols as they see fit.
Before the state got to this point, businesses struggled to stay economically afloat through the pandemic, especially in the hospitality and tourism industries. Wedding venues, hotels, catering, vineyards and breweries struggled to keep up.
With Dripping Springs as the wedding capital of the state and with a plethora of vineyards, the city took a major hit. About 20% of the Dripping Springs Chamber of Commerce is made up of tourism industry representatives; this considerably high percentage highlights how large these industries are in Dripping Springs, said Susan Kimball, president of the Dripping Springs Chamber of Commerce.
Many events had to be reduced substantially in size or cancelled completely, leaving some wedding venues to permanently close.
Vineyards had a choice. They could continue to open by serving food, or they had to close. When left with these options, many took the option to stay afloat, Kimball said.
It was difficult to see the decisions businesses in her city had to make, Kimball said. Some were forced to close and let their employees go while others sold their assets to keep all of their employees.
This is a story told over and over again in all of Hays County, especially for tourism and entertainment businesses. But not all industries were under such pressure.
Hays County, the fastest-growing county in the U.S, saw a housing market boom in 2020, which continues to soar into 2021. At one point, Kimball recalled there being only five houses in all of Dripping Springs on the market. She even witnessed one of her neighbors’ home sale, where in two days, the house had bidding offers and sold for $150,000 over asking price.
Restaurants used the pandemic as a way to assess their business strategy, according to Julie Snyder, Chief Executive Officer for the Kyle Chamber of Commerce.
“We saw a lot of our [restaurant] members get online menus and online ordering capabilities so they could do curbside pickup or delivery,” Snyder said. “A lot of our members did not have delivery and then they created it. The businesses that re-evaluated their delivery system for their products and services survived or thrived a little bit more than others that were not able to do that.”
Snyder added that floral shop owners have seen some success in being more creative with delivery options as many residents are not hosting in-person birthday or anniversary celebrations.
Not all closing decisions were based on financial calculations, said J.R. Gonzales, executive director of the Buda Area Chamber of Commerce. Some businesses chose to close to keep themselves and their employees safe. Some restaurants, boutiques and small shops changed their operations to delivery and pick-up only.
Much of March 2020 through March 2021 has been spent under changing regulations: enforced masks, bar closures, capacity changes, elective surgery cancellations and more. But with the relaxed orders that kicked in Wednesday, March 10, will it allow people to see the light at the end of the long tunnel?
That depends, according to Gonzales. Businesses have a choice to enforce or not to enforce masks on employees and customers. It is up to consumers to visit their preferred establishments. Just because everything can reopen 100%, that does not mean people will return at regular capacity, Gonzales said.
“We’re on a good path in overcoming the virus. I hope that lifting the mask mandate will not derail that,” Gonzales said. “I think it may add pressure and stress for a business owner to make decisions on how to deal with customers who may not want to wear masks. There is a trend from businesses who are going to maintain mask policies. They believe lifting the mask mandate may not be beneficial in the long run.”
If businesses become hot spots due to the relaxed regulations, limitations may have to be reinstated, Gonzales explained.
2As long as the population has a low herd immunity, the possibilities continue that a spike could come again. Given the split public opinion on COVID safety regulations, the best people can do is work with what is available.
“I’m hopeful that businesses can continue to operate at 100% while maintaining the health and safety of staff and customer base at the same time,” Kimball said, “and hope that we won’t have any setbacks in hospitalizations in the region.”
