Texas will allow hair, tanning salons to reopen Friday amid coronavirus. Gyms are next
Gov. Greg Abbott announced Tuesday a wave of new businesses may soon reopen at a limited capacity, with barbershops and salons allowed to open by the end of this week and gyms later this month.
To help combat flare-ups of cases of the novel coronavirus as more businesses open their doors, Abbott also unveiled the formation of “surge response teams” that will be a collaboration between state agencies and local officials.
Abbott’s executive order permitting additional reopenings came sooner than anticipated — and just four days after the first phase of businesses, including malls and restaurants, were permitted to begin operating in-person at a limited capacity. Abbott had previously pointed to May 18 as the earliest possible date for a second phase of reopenings.
But since his announcement of the first phase, he has faced mounting pressure from some business owners and from conservative lawmakers who have defied his restrictions and called for more openings sooner rather than later.
Tuesday, Abbott pointed to essential services that have operated with social distancing guidelines in place since the start of the pandemic and said that until a vaccine is developed, “we must find a way to bridge that divide.”
“Those businesses were operational at a time while COVID-19 spread was being reduced. So we can open up business if we follow those same strategies those businesses were using, and that’s exactly what we need to do,” Abbott said during a press conference Tuesday from the Texas Capitol.
Salons, gyms, manufacturers reopen
Starting Friday, barbershops and hair, nail, tanning and cosmetology salons may reopen, provided they limit one customer per stylist and have at least six feet of separation between stations, Abbott said.
Salons should use an appointment system and minimize customers waiting in-store. Both customers and stylists are strongly encouraged to wear face masks, as “they’re very close to each other as that service is provided,” Abbott said.
Beginning May 18, gyms and exercise facilities will also be allowed to reopen, Abbott said. Indoor facilities will be limited to 25% operating capacity, showers and locker rooms must remain closed, and all equipment must be disinfected after each use. Customers should remain six feet apart, wear gloves that cover their hands and fingers, and disinfect equipment brought from home, such as yoga mats, before and after use.
In addition to gyms, non-essential manufacturers will also be able to reopen May 18 at 25% occupancy and with a staggered workforce — shifting hours and shifts to ensure employees won’t be congregating “and going through the same door all at the exact same time,” Abbott said.
If six feet of separation between employees is not feasible, “social engineering controls,” such as plexiglass between work stations, must be used.
Starting May 18, businesses in office buildings can also open with either five or fewer employees or 25% of the total workforce — whichever is greater — and must maintain appropriate social distancing.
Swimming pools may open May 8, with indoor and outdoor pools restricted to 25% capacity. Local governments will determine if public swimming pools may operate.
More details and guidance on the new reopenings are expected to be posted on the Open Texas site.
Abbott said guidelines are still being developed to allow bars to partially reopen while facilitating social distancing standards. He encouraged bars to reach out with their suggestions, as “not all bars are the same” and some may have more space than others.
In addition to announcing more reopenings, Abbott also clarified what is allowed under his executive order. Funerals, memorials and burials were previously permitted, and Abbott said Tuesday weddings would also be allowed.
However, ceremonies must abide by the same social distancing standards required of religious services — such as alternating rows for seating and encouraging Texans 65 years or older to stay home and participate remotely. Wedding receptions held indoors are subject to the same standards as restaurants, including operating at 25% capacity and seating parties six feet apart, Abbott said.
When visiting beaches, lakes and rivers — including while river rafting — Texans must stay six feet apart from other groups, and may not gather in groups larger than five. Restaurants’ outdoor seating should abide by the same social distancing guidelines required of inside dining, Abbott said.
Texas Education Agency Commissioner Mike Morath said the agency would release guidelines to allow for some in-person graduation ceremonies, including “drive-in” ceremonies and socially distanced outdoor ceremonies starting June 1.
Balancing reopenings with COVID-19 cases
As part of a phased reopening of Texas businesses, restaurants, retail stores, movie theaters, malls, libraries, museums and more were permitted to begin operating at 25% capacity last Friday. More businesses were expected to be allowed to open in the second phase that Abbott had previously said could come as early as May 18.
Public health experts and epidemiologists emphasized that two weeks may not be a sufficient period of time to evaluate the effects the first phase of reopenings on the spread of the virus. It’s a point lawmakers raised Tuesday amid Abbott’s announcement.
“I thought we were waiting to see if the first round of re-opening caused COVID-19 spikes before making decisions on additional openings? It’s been four days,” Rep. Chris Turner, a Democrat from Grand Prairie and chair of the House Democratic Caucus, tweeted.
When asked how he determined it was already safe to allow more businesses to reopen, Abbott pointed to approval he has received from the medical experts advising him, in addition to Dr. Deborah Birx, the White House coronavirus task force coordinator.
“How do I know that we are on an adequate trajectory and this plan fits within that trajectory? Dr. Birx herself has said it. All these other doctors have said it,” Abbott said. “And so, there’s always going to be a difference of opinion among doctors.”
The day some businesses were allowed to reopen came just after Texas reported a single-day high of 50 COVID-19 related deaths and 1,033 new cases. But Abbott emphasized Tuesday that he was focusing on the rates of positive cases and hospitalizations.
The Quorum Report first reported Tuesday about a leaked recording of a call with lawmakers in which Abbott said “it’s almost ipso facto” that reopenings will lead to an increase in the virus’ spread. Abbott has previously acknowledged that reopening businesses and relaxing restrictions could lead to a resurgence in cases. When asked about his remarks on the recording Tuesday, Abbott said “that’s exactly why we have the surge team in place.”
“If infections get out of control, we will be able to quickly respond to it,” Abbott said.
Abbott pointed to examples such as outbreaks tied to meat packing plants in the Panhandle. Over the weekend, Amarillo Mayor Ginger Nelson announced that a federal team would be sent to the area to help investigate and contain the outbreak.
But Democrats were quick to criticize Abbott’s decision to reopen more businesses so soon.
“After being caught privately admitting that opening up Texas too early would lead to more cases and deaths, Governor Greg Abbott decided to do it anyways and announce the premature opening of more of the state,” Manny Garcia, the Texas Democratic Party’s executive director, said in a statement.
The number of cases in Texas continues to rise as testing increases. As of Tuesday afternoon, the Texas Department of State Health Services was reporting more than 427,210 Texans had been tested, with 33,369 confirmed cases of COVID-19. Of those, 1,888 were hospitalized and 906 have died. An estimated 16,791 Texans had recovered — meaning they had gone at least two weeks of being COVID-19 free.
But the number of cases across Texas is likely higher than reported, as testing was limited at the start of the outbreak. Texas ranks near the bottom nationwide in per capita testing.
Abbott is expected to visit the White House Thursday to discuss his coronavirus response with President Donald Trump.
This story was originally published May 5, 2020 at 3:39 PM.
