Coronavirus News

Dallas police officer has been confirmed as positive for COVID-19

Dallas Police/Facebook

A Dallas police officer has been confirmed with COVID-19.

According to a release from the DPD, it's an officer working out of Northeast Patrol, who tested positive for the coronavirus on March 19.

The individual, said to be a woman, has been isolated and is currently doing well.

Three coworkers, who met the definition of "close contact," are currently being quarantined as a precaution.

The Northeast Patrol station is the same station that was beset by bedbugs. Some bad juju going on over there.

The release says that the department is working with the Dallas County Department of Health and Human Services "on any other steps that need to be taken" regarding the coronavirus case.

"In the meantime, one of the city's contractors has been notified, and began sanitizing the building for the wellbeing of all officers currently utilizing that space at Northeast," it says.

In addition, DPD's Chief Medical Officer Alex Eastman is consulting with officers who may have come in contact with or been exposed to the officer.

Measures taken to prevent the virus include:

DPD has issued 3,200 bottles of hand sanitizer with 60 percent or more alcohol, as well as 6,000 boxes of gloves
Extra cleaning and sanitizing, especially in common areas such as main entrances, restrooms, and elevators
Officers have also been given commercial cleaning and sanitizing products for their vehicles.

"We know that some of our officers will contract the virus," the release says. "DPD is prepared to address the issue with sound medical advice from our experts as well as a contingency plan to maintain operations to keep the community safe."

health

E-Cigarette News

Dallas City Council places restrictions on vaping in public

Unsplash

Man vaping

Vaping will now be banned exactly like smoking, thanks to a new ordinance from the Dallas City Council.

At their December 11 meeting, the council passed an ordinance to ban vaping in all the same areas where smoking is not allowed. It'll go into effect on December 11, 2025 — giving everyone a year to get into compliance.

Proposed by City of Dallas Environmental Commission (EVC) and the Office of Environmental Quality and Sustainability (OEQS), the ordinance amends the definition of “smoking” in the Dallas City Code to include the use of vaping devices.

The ordinance does not ban vaping — it only bans where you can vape: no vaping in all indoor and enclosed spaces; within 15 feet of building entrances; and on park property. The ordinance also bans marijuana smoking in those same places.

In addition, the amendment requires restaurants, hotels, fitness centers and other businesses to update their signage to clearly state that both smoking and electronic smoking devices are prohibited.

The ordinance already earned widespread support from health organizations such as the Dallas County Health and Human Services, the American Lung Association, and the American Heart Association. These organizations, along with the World Health Organization, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and the U.S. Surgeon General, have all raised concerns about the health risks of direct and second-hand exposure to vaping aerosols, particularly for vulnerable populations such as children and older adults.

Dallas is not the first city to impose such a ban: San Antonio enacted a similar ban in October. Theirs goes into effect on January 1, 2025.

politics