Abbott says businesses can operate at 50% capacity, theme parks can reopen amid COVID
Gov. Greg Abbott announced Wednesday that nearly all businesses may increase their capacity to 50% amid the novel coronavirus’ outbreak, with even larger crowds allowed by the end of the month.
Effective immediately, all businesses operating at 25% capacity may double their capacity to 50%, “with very limited exceptions,” according to a news release. That includes bars as a long as patrons are seated.
Restaurants, which were already permitted to operate at 50% capacity, can also immediately increase their maximum table size from six people to 10. Starting June 12, restaurants can increase their occupancy levels to 75% capacity.
Amusement parks and carnivals may also reopen at limited capacity in counties with less than 1,000 confirmed COVID-19 cases, and starting June 19 may also operate at 50% capacity in the remaining counties that have more cases.
Professional sports leagues, college sports and “similar sporting events” may also have fans in the stands up to 50% of the capacity for both outdoor and indoor venues, according to Wednesday’s executive order. Previously, spectators were only permitted at outdoor events up to 25% of the venue’s capacity for professional sports leagues.
Swimming pools, water parks, museums, libraries, zoos, aquariums and rodeos may also increase to 50% capacity. On-set media productions may also resume immediately and video game facilities and fine arts performance halls can reopen at 50% capacity starting June 10.
Personal care businesses, including hair and nail salons, barber shops, tattoo studios, and massage parlors, are exempt from the capacity limit if they can ensure work stations are kept six feet apart.
In anticipation of the upcoming Fourth of July holiday and celebrations, large outdoor events with less than 500 people estimated to attend are permitted. However, gatherings of more than 500 are subject to the approval of local officials, such as a county judge or mayor, in consultation with the local public health authority. They may also establish additional restrictions for such gatherings.
On June 12, counties with 10 or fewer active COVID-19 cases may also increase their business occupancy limits to 75% after they have filed the required forms with the Texas Department of State Health Services. Some rural counties in North Texas that had previously reopened more quickly due to fewer cases had also conducted far less tests — a component public health experts have warned is necessary to understand the level of the virus’ spread.
The increased reopenings come days after Texas reported a single-day high of COVID-19 cases on Sunday with 1,949 new confirmed cases. Abbott has previously said he has based his decisions on the state’s rate of positive cases and hospitalizations. While both rates have overall trended downward since mid-April, the rate of positive cases has risen in the last few days.
Abbott stressed that the third phase of reopenings was approved by medical experts advising the “Strike Force to Open Texas” and noted that between May 26 and June 2 over 45% of new COVID-19 cases came from three hot spots that the state has focused on in recent weeks: jails and prisons, meat packing plants and nursing homes.
“Thanks to the effectiveness of our Surge Response Teams, we have the ability to contain those hot spots while opening up Texas for business,” Abbott said in a statement Wednesday, stressing the need for Texans to continue to follow health protocols. “If we remain vigilant, we will continue to mitigate the spread of this virus, protect public health, and get more Texans back to work and their daily activities.”
Infectious disease experts have said that with more businesses reopening, COVID-19 cases are likely to increase — a point Abbott has previously acknowledged. However, he has emphasized “surge response teams” will tackle flare-ups and said that he can reinstate certain restrictions, like limiting elective medical procedures to free up hospital capacity, if needed.
The state still has yet to consistently meet its goal of conducting 30,000 tests a day, and it has hit that threshold a handful of times.
Rep. Chris Turner, a Democrat from Grand Prairie and chair of the House Democratic Caucus, said in a statement Wednesday that it’s too soon for further reopenings when the state has yet to meet all its benchmarks.
“On Monday, Texas saw its highest 7-day average of new cases since the pandemic began. The data are clear — unfortunately, COVID-19 numbers are moving in the wrong direction right now and we need to tap the brakes, not step on the gas,” Turner said.
As of Wednesday, the Texas Department of State Health Services reported over 1 million Texans had been tested, with over 68,000 confirmed cases. There have been 1,734 COVID-19 related deaths and currently 1,487 patients are hospitalized.
This story was originally published June 3, 2020 at 5:03 PM.
