Fort Bend County Sheriff Troy Nehls gave an update on Twitter, saying that though thousands lined up to get their hands on the disinfectant bottles, Monday was the last day to distribute it.
"County Judge KP George has decided the operation is no longer essential and has limited it to ONLY county officials and employees. I'm proud of the work we've done at FBCSO to distribute the disinfectant to over 8,000 Ft. Bend residents," Nehls wrote, adding that he disagrees with the decision to end the handout.
The shutdown comes a day after the sheriff's office had to cut off the line of people waiting for bottles Sunday afternoon.
Deputies and jail trusties began handing out free bottles of disinfectant solution on Friday. On Sunday, the first person in line arrived around 5 a.m. and planned to wait out the three hours remaining before the giveaway started for the day.
"With this here going, maybe they know something we don't," the man told ABC13's Mycah Hatfield. "Maybe it'd be more effective than what we have, so it's a blessing."
The distribution event was planned to run from 8 a.m. until 4 p.m. seven days a week at the Gus George Law Enforcement Academy, 1521 Eugene Heimann Circle in Richmond.
As people have been urged to stay home, the county has also expanded a closure order to include hair and nail salons, massage and tattoo parlors, gyms, martial arts studios, and movie theaters. The closure order is expected to last for the next two weeks.
Nehls said county leaders teamed up with DENORA, a disinfection systems manufacturer, to set up the mobile distribution center.
"We're glad that we have taken this step because we're proactive in Fort Bend County," Nehls said last week.
Fort Bend County Sheriff Troy Nehls explains the disinfectant distribution
Fort Bend Co. residents to get free disinfectant solution
The plan was for each resident to be given one, free 32 oz. plastic bottle along with a gallon of the disinfectant solution.
Once the product was finished, residents were asked to return the empty bottles at the same location, where you would then be given a replacement bottle.
The video above is from a previous story.
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