Here we go, Texas: Coronavirus reopening plan only works if we all pitch in
Ready or not, Texas is about to gradually reopen.
The next phase of returning to business and life that Gov. Greg Abbott outlined Monday is a modest step, with shops, restaurants and museums limited to 25% of their capacity when they reopen Friday. But after six weeks at home with nowhere to go, it feels momentous.
And it represents a risk, if a calculated one. Abbott and other state leaders expressed optimism that the spread of coronavirus has slowed. The governor said the infection rate has declined for 17 days.
Monday brought good news about the Tarrant County situation, too, with only 72 new cases reported. That followed several straight days of more than 100 new cases each.
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But as we’ve said before, that information is only as good as the level of testing for the virus. And while new measures to expand testing continue to come online, Texas and Tarrant County remain far short of the level of testing experts suggest to ensure that reopening commerce won’t lead to a dangerous spike in cases.
Abbott’s order doesn’t appear to leave local officials with much wiggle room to tighten restrictions beyond what the governor outlines. We would have preferred more latitude for local officials to monitor conditions and react accordingly.
And the governor should have allowed for sensible regional cooperation. The Dallas-Fort Worth area should collaborate based on the overall level of disease in the area. Dallas and Tarrant counties have been on different pages since the outbreak began, and outlier areas such as Collin County and Colleyville have punched holes in the region’s protection from the spread of COIVD-19.
But with the Abbott order in place, it’s time to make it work. The guidelines are at least clear; we shouldn’t see weeks of confusion about what’s an essential business and who’s allowed to be open. Restaurants, operating in a highly competitive environment, see a uniform playing field. And bars, salons and gyms will have to hold off awhile, despite the noise made by outlets such as Fort Worth’s Basement Bar and PR’s Saloon about defying local orders.
Local health officials must remain vigilant about monitoring the virus. If it appears clusters are breaking out or increased activity is causing any bump in caseloads, they should shout from the rooftops. They must vigorously expand testing and enforce capacity rules and social distancing.
Fort Worth’s museums and libraries should open only if they are confident they can enforce the 25% capacity limit and distancing rules. That’s especially important for those that tend to draw children. Parents definitely need the outlet after children have been cooped up for well more than a month. But it’s not worth the risk if the institutions can’t put good plans in place and enforce them.
And ultimately, none of this works if families and individuals don’t do what makes sense. A gradual reopening is not an invitation to quickly go back to life the way it was before coronavirus. Everyone should practice social distancing. Everyone should wear a mask in public, even though Abbott’s order doesn’t specifically require them.
Everyone should heed the governor’s emphasis on the need to protect the vulnerable. Texans older than 65 and those with underlying health conditions such as diabetes and high blood pressure, should still stay at home as much as possible. Abbott noted a chilling statistic: Those older than 65 make up 20% of positive tests but three-quarters of deaths.
Simply put, even those who are healthy should limit their activities. It’s still important to keep the spread of the disease tamped down to ensure hospitals aren’t overwhelmed. And if we all rush to crowd restaurants, stores and parks, we may force ourselves back into quarantine because of a sudden, fresh outbreak.
“We’re not just going to open up and hope for the best,” Abbott said. “Instead, we’ll help businesses open with measures to also contain the virus and keep Texans safe.”
Governments, businesses and families all have to do their part to make it so.
This story was originally published April 27, 2020 at 4:57 PM.