Abbott Pauses Progress on Reopening as COVID Cases Rise
Texas Gov. Greg Abbott said Thursday that the state would pause any further phases to reopen the economy due to the recent increase in positive COVID-19 cases and hospitalizations.
Businesses that are permitted to open under the previous phases can continue to operate at the designated occupancy levels and under the minimum standard health protocols provided by the Texas Department of State Health Services.
“The last thing we want to do as a state is go backwards and close down businesses,” said Abbott. “This temporary pause will help our state corral the spread until we can safely enter the next phase of opening our state for business.”
To help free up hospital capacity, Abbott suspended elective surgeries at hospitals in Bexar, Dallas, Harris and Travis Counties. “These four counties have experienced significant increases in people being hospitalized due to COVID-19 and today’s action is a precautionary step,” Abbott said.
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- ◦Economy