Texas stores, restaurants can partially reopen Friday despite coronavirus, Abbott says
Gov. Greg Abbott outlined standards Monday to guide the next phase of reopenings amid the coronavirus outbreak, allowing Texas restaurants, retail stores, movie theaters, malls and more to operate in-person with limited occupancy starting Friday.
Businesses will be allowed to reopen in phases, with the first set permitted to operate at 25% capacity. Depending on the spread of the novel coronavirus in the state, the second phase could begin as early as May 18, Abbott said.
“Now, it’s time to set a new course,” Abbott said Monday from the Texas Capitol, stressing that standards will be based upon data and doctors.
Abbott’s previous executive order requiring Texans to stay home unless participating in activities deemed “essential” by the state has been in effect since April 2 and is set to last through April 30. Abbott said Monday the order “has done its job to slow the growth of COVID-19” and that he will let it expire as scheduled.
While Abbott’s order requiring Texans to stay home will expire Friday, life will not immediately return to normal. Texans and essential businesses are still encouraged to work remotely, follow social distancing measures, minimize social gatherings and abide by federal guidance. Texans over 65 are strongly encouraged to stay home as much as possible.
Abbott said the state has been laying the groundwork to reopen since March, pointing to steps taken like closing schools for the remainder of the academic year, and the state’s efforts to secure personal protective equipment and set up additional health care facilities to handle a surge in cases.
“We’re not going to just open up and hope for the best. Instead, we will put measures in place that will help businesses open while also containing the virus and keeping Texans safe,” Abbott said.
Abbott’s new guidance was crafted with suggestions from the “Strike Force to Open Texas,” a taskforce advised by public health experts, business leaders and state officials. The strike force issued a report Monday that includes detailed guidance for employees and businesses.
Businesses reopening in phases
Each business that reopens must abide by detailed guidelines laid out in the strike force’s report.
Non-essential retail businesses that are allowed to partially reopen are encouraged to dedicate a period of time for at-risk shoppers. They must screen employees and maintain at least six feet of separation.
Only restaurants that “have less than 51% of their gross receipts from the sale of alcoholic beverages,” may partially reopen. Six feet of separation must be maintained — even as people wait to be seated — and no more than six people may be seated at a table.
While shopping malls may reopen, food courts and play areas must remain closed. Movie theaters should ensure customers are spaced far enough apart, including keeping at least two empty seats between parties, alternating rows and disinfecting seats between screenings.
Golf courses are also allowed to operate, but must limit one person to a golf cart and disinfect equipment. People may participate in outdoor sports as long groups are limited to four participants at a time.
State libraries and museums are allowed to open Friday, with local public museums and libraries only reopening if permitted by the local government. Interactive exhibits and areas must remain closed. Services provided by an individual working alone in an office may also resume.
Counties with five or fewer confirmed cases of COVID-19 are permitted to allow those businesses to operate at an increased 50% occupancy limit. In order to do so, the county judge must certify in writing to the Texas Department of State Health Services that it has met certain standards, such as providing public notices and developing plans to ensure contact tracing occurs.
“Texas is a big state with a very diverse geography. The fact is, not all counties are alike and not all counties are affected the same by COVID-19,” Abbott said.
However, the expanded occupancy may be reverted back to 25% if a county surpasses certain thresholds, including if it has more then three positive cases per 1,000 residents. And under Abbott’s new executive order, he may also restrict counties to only “essential” services based on the virus’ spread and COVID-19-related hospitalizations or fatalities in an area.
Houses of worship should still operate remotely as much as possible. Revised guidance issued Monday by Abbott and Attorney General Ken Paxton stressed houses of worship should encourage at-risk members to watch services remotely and ensure proper social distancing between attendees if operating in-person.
Enforcement will primarily occur at a local or regulatory level — such as the possibility of losing a license to operate. Consequences for violating Abbott’s executive orders also include fines up to $1,000, jail time up to 180 days, or both.
Abbott stressed that while his new executive order permits some businesses to reopen, it doesn’t require them to do so, and that Texans who want to stay at home still can.
“You have every right to choose your own pathway in life, and you have ultimate control over your own personal safety, and you should use that control,” Abbott said. “And so, if you feel like you don’t want to get out and potentially expose yourself, just continue to stay home.”
More openings by phase two
In phase one, public swimming pools, bars, gyms, salons, massage parlors, entertainment venues, such as bowling alleys and video arcades, and tattoo and piercing studios, will remain closed. Abbott said he hopes to reopen bars, hair salons and gyms by mid-May, and raised the possibility of allowing one customer in salons at a time.
Phase two, which may begin as early as May 18, will permit more businesses to reopen and allow for those already operating to expand their capacity to 50%.
“We need to see two weeks of data to confirm no flare-up of COVID-19. That is exactly why, now more than ever, Texans must continue safe distancing practices. If we do that, we will be able to expand into phase two, opening up our economy even more,” Abbott said.
Abbott also unveiled a phased approach to increase contract tracing in Texas, and said that with an increase in private and public testing, the state “should easily exceed our goal of 25,000 tests per day” in May. With an increase in testing, Abbott said it’s likely the number of positive cases will also rise.
“That alone is not a decisive criteria,” Abbott said, pointing to hospitalization levels, the rate of deaths and regional outbreaks as factors that may influence when phase two can begin.
Texans are also encouraged to wear face masks and coverings, but Abbott stressed it’s not a mandate. Like Abbott’s previous executive orders, Monday’s order supersedes local ones, and it notes “no jurisdiction can impose a civil or criminal penalty for failure to wear a face covering.”
Abbott also relaxed certain restrictions, allowing all licensed health care professionals to return to work in a limited way, and reducing the amount of hospital capacity needed to be reserved for COVID-19 patients to 15%. He also rescinded his previous requirement that travelers from Louisiana self-quarantine for 14 days after arriving in Texas.
Abbott had previewed details of his announcement last week, and the first steps to reopening businesses in Texas began Friday when retail businesses were permitted to begin operating “to-go.”
Abbott has faced mounting pressure from both conservative lawmakers who would like to see restrictions loosened so Texans can get back to work and Democratic lawmakers and public health experts who have said more widespread testing is needed first. Texas ranks near the bottom nationwide in per capita testing, a point that Democratic lawmakers raised in a call with reporters after Abbott’s announcement.
“The governor mentioned in his press conference that we have far more people now who have recovered from COVID-19 than people who have it. He cannot say that with a straight face, because we do not know how many people are truly COVID positive,” said U.S. Rep. Veronica Escobar, a Democrat from El Paso.
Across the country, a handful of states have begun to loosen their stay-at-home restrictions and allow for a limited reopening of businesses. Earlier this month, President Donald Trump released a three-phased approach that outlines criteria states should meet before easing restrictions, including robust testing and a decrease in cases in a 14-day period.
The number of cases in Texas continues to rise. As of Monday afternoon, the Texas Department of State Health Services was reporting more than 290,500 Texans had been tested, with 25,297 confirmed cases of COVID-19. Of those, 1,563 were hospitalized and 663 have died. An estimated 11,170 Texans had recovered — meaning they had gone at least two weeks of being COVID-19 free.
“The data directly contradicts what Gov. Abbott is saying, which causes great concern,” Rep. Chris Turner, a Democrat from Grand Prairie and chair of the House Democratic Caucus, said in a statement Monday. “An incremental approach makes some sense, but until we have proven additional testing capacity and an actual downward trajectory in new cases, the plan is not actually based on data or science.”
The number of cases across Texas is likely higher than reported as testing was initially limited. Dallas-Fort Worth residents previously reported being unable to get tested for COVID-19 even when showing symptoms.
This story was originally published April 27, 2020 at 3:05 PM with the headline "Texas stores, restaurants can partially reopen Friday despite coronavirus, Abbott says."
