GALVESTON COUNTY, Texas — Big crowds at Crystal Beach over the weekend in the middle of the coronavirus pandemic are drawing attention.
Galveston County Sheriff Henry Trochessett said his office has not had issues with the crowds. Extra deputies are patrolling the beach, he said.
"We've had no big issues," he said. "Ninety percent of the people on the beach so far, according to my employees, have been families, and we're not fooling with them. We're not telling families that they need to be separated."
It is hard to measure to make sure everyone is staying six feet apart, but the deputies are monitoring the situation, Trochessett said.
"I don't have enough employees to measure people with 6 foot sticks," he said. "Ain't going to happen."
There may be some confusion on what guidelines should be followed, Trochessett said.
"We're adjacent to the maybe third most populated city in the United States, where they are cooped up inside, where a county judge tells them they can't come outside without a mask on," he said. "And then you have the governor and health care officials telling them to go outside and jog and ride bikes and go to the park and get fresh air, so can you blame them?"
Some residents expressed concern that the large crowds on Crystal Beach are not following social distancing guidelines.
Last May, six people were taken to the hospital and more than 100 people were arrested during chaos at Go Topless Jeep weekend, which prompted a petition to end the event entirely.
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