TEXAS – 55 days after reopening Texas restaurants and other businesses, Gov. Greg Abbott on Thursday hit the pause button, stopping additional phases of the state’s reopening as new COVID 19 cases and hospitalizations soared and as the governor struggled to pull off the seemingly impossible task of keeping both the state open and the virus under control.
Governor Texas Gov. Greg Abbott on Friday took his most drastic action yet to respond to the post-reopening COVID-19 surge in Texas, shutting bars back down and scaling back restaurant capacity to 50%.
Gov. Greg Abbott also shut down river-rafting trips, which have been blamed for a swift rise in cases in Hays County, and banned outdoor gatherings of over 100 people unless local officials approve.
“At this time, it is clear that the rise in cases is largely driven by certain types of activities, including Texans congregating in bars,” Gov. Greg Abbott said in a news release. “The actions in this executive order are essential to our mission to swiftly contain this virus and protect public health.”
Bars must close at noon Friday, and the reduction in restaurant capacity takes effect Monday.Before Governor Texas Gov. Greg Abbott’s Announcement , bars were able to operate at 50% capacity and restaurants at 75% capacity.
Abbott’s actions Friday were his first significant moves to reverse the reopening process that he has led since late April. He said Monday that shutting down the state again is a last resort, but the situation has been worsening quickly.
