LONGVIEW, Texas — Hundreds of people have called into a coronavirus hotline run by the City of Longview.
The city started the hotline to help answer any questions people may have regarding the virus and the city's response. However, since Gregg County and the City of Longview issued a shelter-in-place order, calls into the hotline have skyrocketed.
"We went from a few calls to a lot of calls," Longview spokesman Shawn Hara said. "We had about 100 calls the first day, and then that ramped up to over 500 calls on Thursday."
In all, the city received more than 1,000 calls. While the city received calls on a variety of topics, Hara says there are three questions that stick out.
The first question is whether the shelter-in-place order is the same as a lockdown. Hara says unlike a lockdown, residents may still leave their homes for important reasons.
"It's really more, let's make sure we're doing everything we can to have social distancing be at home unless you need to do something else," Hara explained.
Hara says another common question the hotline focuses on whether someone needs a document to travel around the city.
"You don't need a permission slip or a letter or anything like that in order for you to be able to travel around," Hara said.
All travel within the city will be considered essential. However, Josh Tubb with the Gregg County Sheriff's Office says if law enforcement determines a person is deliberately putting others at risk, that person could face a fine or jail time.
The third most often asked question concerns what is an essential business.
There are a number of businesses the city and county have determined essential, including some that may come as a surprise to residents.
The city has a full explanation of essential vs. non-essential business on its website.
The hotline is available to Longview residents seven days a week from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. The number is 903-237-1215.