?Yesterday, Tuesday, March 25, 2020, the Kennedale City Council followed the state and more specifically Tarrant County in emergency orders that places restrictions on travel and reinforces ?stay at home? restrictions. {{more: continue …}}?Emergency declaration follows state and county …??Local cities and residents must follow the state, county and city emergency orders in that order. What the state has mandated, each county must follow but may strengthen the mandates. Tarrant County like other counties in the metroplex who have seen the reported coronavirus cases steadily climb over the past week, has added to the state restrictions.?The Kennedale Council followed Tarrant County but has not added any additional restrictions. Surrounding cities of Arlington and Fort Worth have also supported Tarrant declaration. The order currently is in place until April 7, 2020.?Not immediate clear impact on school district …?It is not clear at this point how this will play out with area school districts including Kennedale. The school followed an earlier state mandate that schools remain closed at least through April 3, 2020. Fort Worth ISD posted last night that it was closed indefinitely leaving out any specific date.?Stay home if at all possible …??The order discourages travel outside of essential errands and bans gatherings of any kind, except those within a household. Residents are permitted to go outside and engage in outdoor activities as long as they keep a wide distance from each other.?Essential services include grocery stores, medical facilities, pharmacies, liquor stores, auto repair and parts, laundromats, cleaners, social service and charitable organizations, essential government functions, media, financial institutions and child care services. Houses of worship should close except for staff needed to produce streamed services. Restaurants can offer delivery and takeout.?Cases spreading across Tarrant …??On Monday, Tarrant County announced 10 new cases of the novel coronavirus, which causes the disease COVID-19, bringing the total to 57. At least 14 of the cases came from an unknown source, indicating the virus is spreading in the community. There are more than 700 cases in Texas.?It is hoped that the new restrictions will slow or halt the spread of the virus which can cause severe respiratory disease and pneumonia.?Conservative estimates say as many as 12,000 people in Tarrant County will need hospital attention if the spread of the virus is not slowed, Fort Worth Mayor Betsy Price said Tuesday at joint press conference announcing the new mandates. County hospitals have about 5,300 total beds, she said.?Fears of New York guiding new directives …??From Governor Abbott on down to Kennedale, officials are hoping Texas is not the next New York. The numbers are small in Texas compared to New York by Monday there were 57 reported cases in Tarrant County and more than 700 cases in Texas with daily increases, sometimes doubly within a day or two.?The City of Kennedale maintains a page dedicated to some of the latest information available on COVID-19 (Coronavirus) at < href=http://www.cityofkennedale.com/790/Coronavirus-COVID-19>Coronavirus-COVID-19.