FAQ's

On September 30, 2021, the 8th Court of Appeals denied the City's request for emergency relief, and temporarily paused the Local Health Authority’s indoor mask mandate.

Beginning at 12:01 am on September 4, 2021, the Local Health Authority imposes a universal requirement for face coverings to be worn in all indoor locations, with limited exceptions.

This face covering requirement does not apply to the following:

1. any person younger than 2 years of age; parents and guardians of children over the age of 2 and under the age of 10 are responsible for appropriately making their children wear a face covering as required herein;
2. any person with a medical condition or disability that prevents wearing a face covering;
3. any person while the person is consuming food or drink, or is seated at a restaurant to eat or drink;
4. any person while the person is (a) exercising or engaging in physical activity indoors, in a gym or exercise facility, individually or in a group and (b) maintaining a safe distance from other people;
5. any person while the person is driving alone or with passengers who are part of the same household as the driver;
6. any person obtaining a service that requires temporary removal of the face covering for security surveillance, screening, or a need for specific access to the face, such as while visiting a bank or while obtaining a personal care service involving the face, but only to the extent necessary for the temporary removal;
7. any person while the person is in a swimming pool or similar body of water;
8. any person who is voting, assisting a voter, serving as a poll watcher, or actively administering an election, but wearing a face covering is strongly encouraged;
9. any person who is actively providing or obtaining access to religious worship, unless required by said religious worship entity, but wearing a face covering is strongly encouraged; or
10. any person while the person is giving a speech for a broadcast or to an audience.

The City Council voted 5 to 3 to file a lawsuit against Texas Governor Greg Abbott that would support local protective measures issued by the Local Health Authority.

Judge Ruben Morales in the County Court at Law #7 granted the City’s petition, which was filed on Tuesday, Aug. 17. The court issued a Temporary Restraining Order finding that GA-38 exceeds the Governor’s authority under the Texas Disaster Act of 1975.

On Friday, August 27, the 8th Court of Appeals partly denied the Governor’s motion to stop the Temporary Restraint of Governor Abbott’s Order GA-38, and the Local Health Authority Order remained in place as it applied to:

1. Any school district in El Paso County;
2. The City of El Paso to the extent the City requires its employees to wear masks; and
3. City owned or managed facilities where visitors are required to wear face masks.

On September 2, 2021, Judge Morales, granted the City’s petition for a temporary injunction against Governor Abbott’s Order GA-38 as it applies to the Local Health Authority’s ability to issue a mask mandate in the County of El Paso, and therefore, the Health Authority’s order is in effect in all indoor locations, with limited exceptions.

At this time, the City Attorney's Office expects to provide the legal services required for this litigation in-house. At this point, there will be no separate funding or cost outside of the salaries of the members of the City Attorney's Office who will work on the litigation.

Symptoms of COVID-19 may appear 2-14 days after exposure and include: fever measuring greater than or equal to 100.0 degrees Fahrenheit, feeling feverish, cough, sore throat, repeated shaking with chills, chills, muscle pain, diarrhea, headache, nausea or vomiting, fatigue, congestion or runny nose, new loss of taste or smell and shortness of breath or difficulty breathing.

If you develop emergency warning signs for COVID-19, you should seek medical attention immediately. Emergency warning signs include: trouble breathing; persistent pain or pressure in the chest; new confusion or inability to rouse; bluish lips or face.

If you have life-threatening symptoms, you should call 911. If you are getting yourself to a healthcare facility, do not use public transportation. You should drive yourself, if possible. If you cannot drive yourself, keep as much distance as possible between yourself and the driver and leave the windows down.

You should wear a a face cover to prevent exposing others to your respiratory droplets when you cough and sneeze.

The City developed Isolation and Quarantine Guidelines for the General Population / Lineamientos de Aislamiento Y Cuarentena para la Población en General.

There are a variety of locations where you can get tested for COVID-19. To see a full list click on the Testing tab or click here.

It depends on where you took your test. To learn where you can get your results click on the Testing tab or click here. Each of the lists sites provides instructions on how to obtain your results.

You can review the list of questions you will be asked here on the COVID-19 Case Investigation Form.

The City developed Isolation and Quarantine Guidelines for the General Population / Lineamientos de Aislamiento Y Cuarentena para la Población en General.

Contact tracing is used by health departments to prevent the spread of infectious disease.

In general, contact tracing involves identifying people who have an infectious disease (cases) and people who they came in contact with (contacts) and working with them to interrupt disease spread.

This includes asking people with COVID-19 to isolate and their contacts to quarantine at home voluntarily.

Click on this link to learn more about what is typically involved in contact tracing for COVID-19. You can also download this PDF to learn more.

The El Paso City-County Health Authority issued an Indoor Mask Mandate effective on September 4, 2021, which is temporarily paused as of September 30, 2021; however, it is strongly recommended that individuals wear face covering in compliance with the CDC’s recommendations when in an indoor location other than one’s home. The temporarily paused Health Authority Order imposes a universal face covering requirement in all indoor locations. The order applies to all adults and children over the age of 2 and under the age of 10. Violations of the Health Authority Order are Class C misdemeanors, punishable by up to a $500 fine.

The order does not apply to:

• children younger than 2 years of age;
• any person with a medical condition or disability that prevents wearing a face covering (e.g., persons with developmental disabilities, such as autism, may not tolerate the mask and so they would be exempt from wearing a mask);
• any person consuming food or drink or seated at a restaurant to eat or drink;
• any person exercising;
• any person while the person is driving alone or with passengers who are part of the same household as the driver;
• any person obtaining a service that requires temporary removal of the face covering for security surveillance, screening, or a need for specific access to the face;
• any person while the person is in a swimming pool or similar body of water;
• any person who is voting, assisting a voter, serving as a poll watcher, or actively administering an election;
• any person who is actively providing or obtaining access to religious worship; or
• any person while the person is giving a speech for a broadcast or to an audience.

All persons are also strongly encouraged to wear a face covering when in an outdoor public space, wherever it is not feasible to maintain six feet of social distancing from another person not in the same household.

At this time, as of September 30, 2021, restaurant patrons are strongly recommended to wear a face covering when entering and exiting restaurants, during the process of being seated, and when travelling to restrooms. The face covering recommendation does not apply to any person consuming food or drink or is seated at a restaurant to eat or drink.

All businesses in El Paso are strongly encouraged to require individuals to use face coverings when on their premises; however, when seated at your table at a restaurant you can remove the face covering. For drive-thru food pick-ups, a face covering is encouraged in a drive-thru if you can’t keep 6 feet of distance from others.

No, any person with a medical condition or disability that prevents wearing a face covering is exempt; however, the CDC reminds the public that mask help maximize protection and helps prevent possibly spreading COVID-19 to others.

CDC recognizes that wearing face coverings may not be possible in every situation or for some people. In some situations, wearing a cloth face covering may exacerbate a physical or mental health condition, lead to a medical emergency, or introduce significant safety concerns. Adaptations and alternatives should be considered by businesses and facilities whenever possible to increase the feasibility of wearing a face covering or to reduce the risk of COVID-19 spreading if it is not possible to wear one.

For example, but not limited to,

• People who are deaf or hard of hearing—or those who care for or interact with a person who is hearing impaired—may be unable to wear cloth face coverings if they rely on lip-reading to communicate. In this situation, consider using a clear face covering. If a clear face covering isn’t available, consider whether you can use written communication, use closed captioning, or decrease background noise to make communication possible while wearing a face covering that blocks your lips.
• People with intellectual and developmental disabilities, mental health conditions or other sensory sensitivities, may have challenges wearing a face covering. They should consult with their healthcare provider for advice about wearing face coverings.
• Younger children (e.g., preschool or early elementary aged) may be unable to wear a face covering properly, particularly for an extended period of time. Wearing of face coverings may be prioritized at times when it is difficult to maintain a distance of 6 feet from others. Ensuring proper face covering size and fit and providing children with frequent reminders and education on the importance and proper wear of face coverings may help address these issues.
• People who work in a setting where face coverings may increase the risk of heat-related illness or cause safety concerns. Outdoor workers may prioritize use of face coverings when in close contact with other people, for example, during group travel or shift meetings, and remove face coverings when social distancing is possible.

Face coverings are a critical preventive measure and are essential in times when social distancing is difficult. If face coverings cannot be used, individuals are asked to make sure to take other measures to reduce the risk of COVID-19 spread, including social distancing, frequent hand washing, and cleaning and disinfecting frequently touched surfaces.

No, however, the public is strongly encouraged to continue practicing health and safety protocols to include:

• Stay 6 feet away from all people not in your household.
• Wash hands often with soap and water for 20 seconds.
• When soap and water aren’t available, use hand sanitizer with at least 60% alcohol.
• Wear a face covering in public.
• Cover coughs and sneezes with a disposable tissue.
• Avoid touching your eyes, nose, and mouth with unwashed hands.
• Disinfect surfaces, buttons, handles, knobs and other places touched often.
• If sick, get tested and then stay home.

Individuals aged 65 or older are at a higher risk of COVID-19, individuals who are immunocompromised, and those who are unvaccinated

Yes. High blood pressure and diabetes account for most of the underlying conditions at the time of death for those in El Paso County who have died of COVID-19.

The Department of Homeland Security’s updated requirements, which instructs all non-U.S. individuals entering the United States via land ports of entry or ferry terminals be fully vaccinated for COVID-19 and be able to provide proof of vaccination regardless of whether it is an essential or non-essential visit.

When crossing the border into the U.S. via land ports of entry or ferry terminals, you must be prepared to:

• verbally attest to their COVID-19 vaccination status;
• provide proof of a CDC-approved COVID-19 vaccination, as outlined on the CDC website;
• present a valid Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative (WHTI)-compliant document, such as a valid passport, Trusted Traveler Program card, or Enhanced Tribal Card; and,
• present any other relevant documents requested by a U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officer during a border inspection.

Individuals 18 years of age and younger will not be required to be vaccinated at this time.

The CDC has determined that for purposes of travel to the United States, vaccines accepted will include current FDA approved or authorized vaccines and World Health Organization (WHO) emergency use listed vaccines. To date, there are currently nine vaccines that meet the CDC’s requirements, including:

• Pfizer-BioNTech
• Moderna
• Oxford–AstraZeneca
• Covaxin
• Covishield
• BIBP/Sinopharm
• Sinovac
• Novavax/Covavax
• Johnson and Johnson

According to the CDC, fully vaccinated means a person has received their primary series of COVID-19 vaccines. The last dose must have been given a full 14 days before entering the U.S.