COVID-19 cases are rising in El Paso, with a 160% rise in the past three weeks. To flatten the curve, El Paso has issued a curfew from 10 pm to 5 am. They are also encouraging everyone to stay home for two weeks if they can. 

With an El Paso judge imposing a two-week shutdown and curfew in place, despite what Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton is saying, Priscilla Saenz, a recent St. Edward’s graduate, finds it difficult to get essential tasks done during the day.

“The times I needed to get groceries, I was unable to get them throughout the day and had to wait the following day to retrieve them,” Saenz said.

Saenz also believes that having essential stores close at specific times is making it hard for day workers to be able to get the things they need. Regardless of how difficult it will be, she does agree that it is necessary.

“I believe this [curfew] is needed, COVID-19 does not simply go away from the hours of 10 pm to 5 am, but having a curfew can serve as a reinforcement or a reminder to those that are going out for non-essential reasons,” Saenz said.

KXAN reports that COVID-19 cases are rising in Travis County. Five local health experts joined together in Austin last week, to talk about the local outbreak along with precautions that people should still be taking in order to remain healthy. Though hospitals are at a reasonable capacity, KXAN reports that it will be a community effort to decide on whether or not we have another massive outbreak. 

Saenz suggests that implementing a shutdown and curfew is something that not only El Paso should be doing, but other cities as well.

“I know a curfew can be annoying but because El Paso has progressively gotten worse in a number of new cases each day, it might be just what is needed at this time. If other parts of Texas are experiencing a rising number of cases, I do feel like this could help,” Saenz said. 

Though Saenz admits that a curfew is not necessarily going to stop people from going out, she does believe it can help stop the spread for a short period of time. 

As of Wednesday morning, November 4, El Paso Times reported that there are 3,100 new COVID cases in the El Paso area. The city also has opened two new drive-thru sites, to make sure the residents are getting the resources they need in these hard times. For more information regarding the COVID-19 outbreak in El Paso, visit http://www.epstrong.org.