Texas Bars Slated To Reopen; Restaurant Occupancy Doubled
AUSTIN, TX — Gov. Greg Abbott revealed details on Monday related to the continuing reopening of the state economy — including the reopening of bars, breweries and bowling alleys at limited capacity, and expansion of the allowable occupancy limits for restaurants.
Additionally, the governor issued orders on Monday allowing for personal service businesses and child care services to reopen on Monday. Restaurants will be able to increase their capacity to 50 percent starting Friday, the governor said. Also, the governor announced public schools across Texas have the option to provide in-person summer school — so long as they follow social distancing practices and health protocols laid out by state health officials — beginning as early as June 1.
The governor made his announcement at 2 p.m. from the state Capitol, noting ahead of time his comments would relate to "continued safe and strategic"reopening. Among those joining the governor were Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick, Texas House Speaker Dennis Bonnen and Dr. John Hellerstedt, the commissioner of the Texas Department of State Health Services.
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The expanded businesses came as gyms were allowed to reopen, as the governor referenced during his presentation. To that end, the workout facilities are operational again albeit at 25 percent occupancy, with adherence to physical distancing and availability of sanitizers. Those working out are required to wear gloves while exercising, while locker rooms and showers remain closed.
By virtue of his latest Executive Order, the following services and activities will be allowed to reopen:
Child Care Centers (May 18)
Massage and Personal-Care Centers (May 18)
Youth Clubs (May 18)
Rodeo and Equestrian Events (May 22)
Bowling Alleys, Bingo Halls, Simulcast Racing, and Skating Rinks (May 22)
Bars (May 22)
Aquariums and Natural Caverns (May 22)
Zoos (May 29)
Day Youth Camps (May 31)
Overnight Youth Camps (May 31)
Youth Sports (May 31)
Certain professional sports without in-person spectators (May 31)
All sporting and camp activities are required to adhere by special safety standards, and minimum standard health protocols have been established for all newly-announced opened services and activities, Abbott noted. Businesses located in office buildings also will be allowed to reopen but must limit their occupancy to either 10 employees or 25 percent of their workforce, whichever is greater, the governor announced.
Related story: Coronavirus: Texas Illness County Passes 48K Mark, 11 More Deaths
Restaurant operators may expand their occupancy to 50 percent beginning May 22. Bars —including wine tasting rooms, craft breweries, and similar businesses —may open at 25 percent occupancy. Similar to restaurants, occupancy limits for bars do not apply to outdoor areas in adherence to safe distancing provisions, according the announcement.
Opened services and activities under the latest phase of reopening are subject to certain occupancy limits and health and safety protocols. For details and a full list of guidelines, openings, and relevant dates, visit www.gov.texas.gov/opentexas.
But expanded business offerings won't take place at certain counties experiencing surges in coronavirus cases, the governor said, and implementation in those areas will be delayed until May 29. These counties include El Paso, Randall, Potter, Moore and Deaf Smith. Surge Response Teams are actively working in these areas to increase testing, maintain hospital capacity, and ensure that COVID-19 is contained and mitigated, Abbott noted.
Abbott's orders come amid a steady increase in new coronavirus cases across Texas and an unfulfilled goal of 30,000 tests each day for the virus causing respiratory illness. In response to a reporter's question, Abbott was asked if Texas is commingling testing data with antibody testing data. In response, the governor said they would be provided separately without saying when that might occur.
On Saturday, the state reported the biggest single-day surge in coronavirus cases since records have been kept — a jump of 1,801 additional diagnoses, 734 of those emerging from an illness cluster centered on a meat manufacturing plant in Amarillo, Texas.
During his announcement, Abbott cited White House recommendations guiding states to reopen their economies, with the central barometer being a downward trajectory of coronavirus cases over a two-week period. “A downward trajectory of positive tests as a percent of total tests within a 14 day period,” Abbott explained. "And that is exactly what we have seen in Texas. The past month has shown a downward trajectory in the positivity rate. For example, on April the 13th, the seven-day rolling average was about 13.8 percent. Since then that rate has steadily declined to now about 5 percent.
But others have noted the cumulative rate of illness has continued its upward trend in Texas. As reported by the Texas Tribune, the number of new cases reported each day has grown from an average of about 918 during the week ending May 1 to about 1,227 this week.
Abbott also touted an abundance of available hospital beds as part of his reasoning to further reopen the state economy. He attributed increases in the case numbers as attributable to amplified testing for the virus: "To state the obvious, as testing increases so will raw number of people testing positive," Abbott noted. "What matters most is the percentage of people testing positive," he added, saying the decision to open up more businesses was due to a perceived downward trajectory of positive data.
He touted advice from medical professionals and review of statistics — "doctors and data," as the governor termed it — as the basis for the latest economic expansion. "Every decision I have made, as well as every decision I have announced today, is supported by our team of medical experts," Abbott said. "That commitment to data and doctors underpins today's announcement."
In that vein, Abbott expounded on the state's hospitalization and positivity rates — two metrics he and his team of medical experts have used to guide the state's ongoing plan to safely and strategically open, he said. Details on these metrics can be found in presentation slides here and here.
Although the governor termed the latest reopening as "Phase II" of the economy reopening, it's actually the third time for business relaunching that first began May 1 with restaurants, malls and movie theaters. The following week, Abbott allowed barbershops, nail salons and tanning salons to open under limited occupancy — one week before what was originally planned. Abbott originally said illness trends would be assessed for two weeks after May 1 before launching another round of reopening, only to allow for the expanded industries to reopen a full week ahead of schedule.
Details on the plans are outlined on the governor's updated guidance as explained in the “Open Texas” section of a website. The section also details the particulars of past orders.
"Today, tomorrow, and every day going forward is one step closer to medical discoveries that can treat and protect people from COVID-19—but until that day comes, our focus is keeping Texans safe while restoring their ability to get back to work, open their businesses, pay their bills, and put food on their tables," Abbott said. "By continuing to use safe practices, we are slowing the spread of COVID-19 and protecting our most vulnerable. Now more than ever, we need to work together as one Texas. I ask all Texans to continue heeding the guidance of our state and federal medical experts and do their part to protect public health. If we all unite in our resolve, we will overcome this challenge."
He appealed to Texans' spirit of resiliency in combating the lingering illness: "Texans have always faced adversity, and have always prevailed," Abbott said. "Our recovery rate one of the best in the country. But now more than ever, we need to work together. Be a good neighbor, be a Texan."
Not everyone applauded the move. Rep. Eddie Rodriguez issued a statement criticizing what he viewed as a "fast-tracking" reopening at the expense of public health. Rodriguez represents District 51 that includes a portion of Austin and Webberville, half of Mustang Ridge and all of Creedmor, Garfield and Hornsby Bend
“Since Texas began to prematurely reopen, we have watched as our case numbers and deaths continue to climb," Rodriguez said in a prepared statement. "Now, Gov. Abbott is fast-tracking our reopening at the expense of public health.”
Heightening the representative's concern are the disproportionate rates of illness among minorities: "We know that this virus is not impacting all our communities the same. Travis County is seeing spikes in cases and deaths just as densely populated retail corridors are filling back up. Black and Latino communities across Texas lack adequate healthcare access and have higher levels of essential workers. As a result we’re seeing disproportionate deaths and case numbers among more densely populated areas and particularly among Texans of color."
He added: "Prematurely reopening Texas is putting all of us, and especially our most vulnerable, at risk.” We must be crystal clear that we cannot have an economic recovery without a health recovery. If our workers are sick and dying, and we continue to see a resurgence in cases, our economy will not come back. If folks are scared to get back to work because of the virus our economy can not recover. We must make sure we do not neglect public health as we reopen Texas.”
This article originally appeared on the Austin Patch
