Gov. Abbott’s New Executive Order Allows Some Businesses to Operate at 25% Capacity Beginning Friday
April 28, 2020 - San Antonio
Slow and steady. On Monday, Texas Governor Greg Abbott unveiled his new executive order, which will allow some business to operate at 25% capacity. Photo: Jade Esteban Estrada.
By Jade Esteban Estrada - Staff Writer, San Antonio Sentinel
On Monday, Gov. Greg Abbott announced that his previous stay-at-home order, which expires April 30, “has done its job to slow the growth of COVID-19.” His new executive order will take effect on Friday, allowing dine-in restaurants, movie theatres, malls, museums, libraries, and retail outfits, previously labeled as nonessential, to operate at 25% capacity. This order will begin the first phase of the Republican governor’s incremental reopening of the Texas economy amid the coronavirus pandemic.
Abbott said that the data received over the next few weeks will inform his task force whether phase two, which could come as early as May 18, will move forward. Abbott is hoping for two weeks of data to confirm that there hasn’t been a “flare-up” of COVID-19. If all goes according to plan, the second phase in mid-May would allow the “reopen” businesses - and possibly gyms, barbershops, hair salons - to operate at 50% capacity, he said at a news conference from the Texas Capitol.
Many of the state’s 29 million residents argue that this reopening has come too soon. An online petition to stop Abbott’s directive is currently circulating on social media outlets.
Though state officials encourage wearing a mask that covers the nose and mouth, Abbott’s order does not make this a requirement, which means that Texans will no longer be fined for not wearing a mask in public areas.
Understanding that some business owners may feel unsafe about opening their stores by May 1 as the number of COVID-19 cases continues to rise, Abbott stressed that his order gives businesses permission to open, but is “not a requirement” that they do so - which may put some financially strained business owners in a difficult position.
Also, because many counties are in rural areas, some of which are not as affected by COVID-19 cases, Abbott said that counties that have five or less coronavirus cases may begin their reopening at phase two, which means businesses may operate at 50% capacity beginning on Friday.
Abbott said that he spoke to Dr. Deborah Birx, the coronavirus response coordinator for the Trump Administration's Coronavirus Task Force, about his reopening plan. “She said the Texas plan was great,” he said.
Read the full Open Texas report here.
Jade Esteban Estrada is a staff writer at the San Antonio Sentinel, where he covers public health and other citywide issues. He can be reached at jade@sasentinel.com.