Collin County's top elected official has tested positive for COVID-19 and is quarantining at home.
County Judge Chris Hill tested positive for COVID-19 after getting tested Monday, he said in a written statement.
He said he woke up with a mild headache and sore throat Sunday morning and decided to get tested Monday "out of an abundance of caution."
In the statement, Hill said he felt better Tuesday but would continue to stay home and quarantine, in accordance with CDC guidelines.
He said his wife and children "feel great," but would also stay home.
Early in the pandemic, cities in Collin County were split on how to handle shelter at-home measures.
Hill issued a "Stay Home, Work Safe" order on March 23, that said if businesses were able to stay open while following Texas Gov. Greg Abbott's (R) guidelines of no more than 10 people, then they could stay open for business.
However, McKinney issud its own shelter-in-place order and Frisco, which falls in both Collin and Denton counties, opted to follow the latter county's more restrictive guidelines.
One week later, Abbott issued a list of essential services and Hill rescinded the order, allowing all non-essential businesses to close.
Hill said he would continue to work remotely while in quarantine and that county operations would run without interruption.
Hill is the second county judge in North Texas' four largest counties to test positive for COVID-19. Denton County Judge Andy Eads tested positive in mid-October.
Read Hill's full statement below.
Good morning, friends.
I’ve got some news to share, and I wanted you to hear it from me first.
I woke up Sunday morning with a mild headache and a mildly sore throat. Out of an abundance of caution, I visited my health provider Monday morning and requested a COVID-19 test.
I was surprised when the test came back positive, because I really didn't feel very bad. In fact, I feel great today, but I will continue to follow the doctor’s orders and quarantine at home according to the CDC guidelines. My wife and children also feel great and do not have any symptoms, but they will also quarantine at home and monitor their health.
I plan to work remotely while I'm in quarantine, and I've been in regular contact with the county staff via phone and email since yesterday morning, and county operations continue to run without interruption.
Thank you for your support and your prayers. It’s a privilege to serve your families as the County Judge, and I’m grateful for all you do to make Collin County the best place to live, work, and raise a family.
Sincerely,
Chris
*Map locations are approximate, central locations for the city and are not meant to indicate where actual infected people live.
