State will continue to reopen, Abbott says

Gov. Greg Abbott will continue with reopening the state of Texas, according to a 2 p.m. press conference today. 

“To state the obvious, what matters most is the percentage of the people who test positive,” Abbott stated. “It [reopening] requires a downward trajectory of positive tests as a percentage of tests.” 

Abbott stated his “Phase II re-opening” will not be the total number of positive tests per day, which peaked on May 16 at 1,801, according to DHHS data. Instead, Abbott stated, he will base his decision on the seven-day positivity rate, which peaked on April 12 at 15.85%, according to DHHS data. 

Steps of Phase II Reopening include: 

• May 22: A long list of businesses can re-open or expand capacity. Restaurants can open to 50%, bars/tasting rooms/craft breweries can open at 50%. Drive-in concerts, bowling alleys can open to 25%. Childcare services can open as well, including boys and girls clubs and YMCA programs. Businesses located in office buildings of greater than 10 employees can open, provided they can do social distancing. 
• May 31:  Youth sports camps and little leagues can open. Parents will be allowed to spectate as long as social distancing is followed. All youth summer camps including daytime and overnight, which includes scouting, 4-H and vacation Bible school. Some professional sports will return not limited to: golf, auto racing, football, basketball and tennis, although they cannot have spectators. 
• June 1: School districts have the option to begin summer school, as long as social distancing is followed.

Areas with high growth of infection will have their opening date pushed back one week, Abbott stated. This will include counties El Paso, Randall, Potter, Moore and Deaf Smith. 

The areas of largest growth, according to Abbot, are nursing homes, jails and meatpacking plants. Abbott said the state now has a program to test 100% of residents and staff at all care homes. 

Furthermore, said Abbott, “We have plenty of hospital beds and ICU capacity. …If our hospital capacity ever gets compromised, we will take swift action.

“Texas is prepared to move forward for further opening of business,” Abbott stated. “This is unanimously supported by our medical team of experts.”

“By using safe practices, we are slowing the spread,” Lieutenant Governor Dan Patrick added. 

DHHS data indicate that Texas’s COVID-19 curve is progressing exponentially, with no flattening or decreasing. 

“We’ve seen no signs that raise any concerns of retrenchment,” Abbott stated. “We’ve seen spikes happen before… . We know how to do this.” 

For more information, visit: https://gov.texas.gov/organization/opentexas?fbclid=IwAR3Nhb4e_MfiOlmpjV15VwrjqwrxHUIE3Trb5cn6_iNITXZdZyz2fCZFYRw