Dallas County Judge Clay Jenkins was the first Texas official to declare a stay-at-home order for COVID-19 in March—more than a week before Governor Greg Abbott issued a similar statewide measure. This isn’t the first time Jenkins has navigated a major public health threat. In 2014, the Democrat gained national attention for managing the state’s Ebola response when three cases were diagnosed in Dallas. But the COVID-19 pandemic has posed an unprecedented threat, in a very different political environment. Governor Abbott has forged ahead with a plan to reopen Texas businesses, against the advice of many health experts. Jenkins, who is urging residents to continue social distancing, now has his hands largely tied as cases in Dallas—9,385 reported as of May 28—are projected to spike following Abbott’s reopening plan.
Jenkins spoke with the Observer about “hoping for the best and preparing for the worst” in responding to COVID-19.
Texas Observer: Your stay-at-home order was superseded by Governor Abbott’s reopening plan. How are you navigating your role in this context?
