This list will be continuously updated.
Now that there are confirmed cases of COVID-19 in North Texas, several popular North Texas hotspots are taking precautions to mitigate fear and stop the possible spread of the disease as larger crowds start to filter in for Spring Break.
Since this list was originally posted, almost every single one of the below locations has either temporarily closed or placed restrictions on how many people can be in a building. Many Dallas-Fort Worth school districts have also announced extended Spring Break dates.
As many of us continue to practice social distancing, here's a brief rundown on what to do with your kids if you are working from home:
RELATED: Stuck inside your home? Here are some things to do with your kids besides looking at a screen
Six Flags
March 15 UPDATE: Six Flags is now closed until the end of March, according to a statement from Six Flags.
Original entry: Six Flags will remain open as scheduled. Theme park communications manager Sharon Parker said that Six Flags hs added more anti-bacterial soap and alcohol-based hand sanitizer in the park. They have made sure park employees and guests have access to hand sanitizer in all areas of the park, but especially in restrooms, food locations, and employee break areas.
"The health and safety of our guests and employees is our highest priority," Parker wrote in a news statement to WFAA. "Like other public venues, we continue to monitor the situation and follow guidance from the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention...We are also encouraging guests and employees to practice good hygiene with frequent and rigorous hand-washing."
Fort Worth Zoo
March 15 UPDATE: The Fort Worth Zoo will be closed from March 13-March 23.
Original entry: The Fort Worth Zoo told WFAA it has increased the amount of hand-washing stations to prepare for larger crowds during Spring Break.
In addition, the zoo has stocked the bathrooms with soap, increased the frequency with which employees clean hard surfaces, placed hand sanitizers in various locations around the zoo and has provided hand wipes to zoo employees who interact with the public.
Bathroom signs in the zoo also remind guests of the importance of washing their hands, zoo officials told WFAA.
Dallas Zoo
March 15 UPDATE: The Dallas Zoo will be closed March 13 until at least March 20, the zoo said on its website.
Original entry: The Dallas Zoo said it has prevention and response plans ready for both the Dallas Zoo and the Children's Aquarium at Fair Park.
"We want everyone to be smart and take precautions so they can stay healthy but still enjoy Spring Break," a news statement said. "Guests will likely notice an increase in hand sanitizing stations throughout the Zoo and the Children's Aquarium. We're adding signs in public and behind the scenes areas to remind guests and staff of the preventative measures (washing hands, protecting others from coughs or sneezes, etc.) we should all take to stay healthy. And we're also doing additional deep cleaning in public areas."
Great Wolf Lodge
March 15 UPDATE: Great Wolf Lodge will be closed from March 16-April 1, according to a statement on the park's website.
Original entry: The Great Wolf Lodge said it's taking similar precautions as it does during flu season.
"We began implementing enhanced sanitation measures at our resorts such as more frequent cleansing of public areas with disinfectant solutions, adding hand-sanitation stations and encouraging our guests to partake in more regular and rigorous hand-washing," a statement from the indoor water park said. "The health and safety of our guests and pack is of the utmost importance, and we’ve been closely monitoring official government health department for updates and guidance on this issue."
Perot Museum of Nature and Science
March 15 UPDATE: The Perot Museum of Nature and Science will be closed from March 14 until at least March 20, the museum said on its website.
Original entry: The Perot Museum of Nature and Science told WFAA that its rigorous cleaning standards will ensure a sanitized environment for guests.
"The Museum employs industry leaders from the commercial janitorial field that thoroughly clean the premises three times a day with high-quality, leading-edge products including the medical-grade and highly effective Clorox® Total 360® disinfectant program," a statement from the museum said. "The Museum has also circulated to staff the CDC’s guidelines and recommendations for everyday preventative actions to help inhibit the spread of respiratory diseases."
For more information on the museum's cleanliness standards, click here.
Fort Worth Museum of Science and History
March 15 UPDATE: The Fort Worth Museum of Science and History will be closed from March 14-30, the museum said on its website.
Original entry: The Fort Worth Museum of Science and History will remain open as scheduled, according to a March 11 statement.
"The health and safety of our guests and staff is among our top priorities, so we are taking necessary, precautionary measures to keep the Museum a safe environment," the statement also reads.
"In addition to our usual thorough cleaning procedures, we have increased the frequency with which we clean and disinfect all areas of the Museum in an effort to maintain a safe and sanitary space for our guests and staff.
"In accordance with health guidelines and recommendations, we are encouraging any staff or guests who feel ill to remain at home for the health and safety of others."
Alamo Drafthouse movie theaters
March 16 UPDATE: All Alamo Drafthouse locations are closed until further notice.
March 15 UPDATE: As of March 15, all Alamo Drafthosue locations in North Texas are still open, with some caveats: Some locations are asking parties to leave a "buffer" seat in between parties as a way to practice social distancing.
Original entry: While it's not a theme park, the Drafthouse is a popular Spring Break attraction. The Austin, Texas-based movie theater chain released a statement on March 11 detailing how it plans to combat COVID-19.
"At Alamo Drafthouse the safety of our guests and employees is our top priority every day," the statement begins.
The Drafthouse is taking more precautions than usual to sanitize its theaters, including:
- Closely monitoring daily updates and recommendations from the CDC
- We are sanitizing seat armrests, cup holders, and tables during theater cleanings before every show
- Latex gloves are being worn by all staff during theater cleanings and when bussing tables
- Every night the end-of-day cleaning team is disinfecting all hand-contact surfaces in guest-accessible areas (armrests, tables, door handles, counters, railings, benches, booths, faucets)
- Each theater is also increasing the frequency of cleaning and disinfecting all high-traffic areas throughout the day. Door handles and box office counters are being disinfected at a cadence of every 30 minutes during business hours
- Theater management has retrained staffs in thorough and frequent hand-washing – fronts, backs, wrists, between fingers – with soap and water for at least twenty seconds each time
- Employees have also been instructed to never come to work if they experience fever or any Coronavirus symptoms
Fort Worth Aviation Museum
The Fort Worth Aviation Museum is closing from March 15 until April 1, a statement said Sunday.