WASHINGTON (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 28th April, 2020) Texas Governor Greg Abbott said in a press conference that he is issuing an executive order to allow certain businesses in the state to reopen on Friday as the state expects the number of recoveries from the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) infection to exceed soon the number of active cases.
"We will open Texas businesses in phases. Phase one begins this Friday, May 1," Abbott said on Monday. "So with my new executive order, all retail stores, restaurants, movie theaters and malls can reopen May 1... I am limiting occupancy to no more than 25 percent."
Abbott said museums and libraries across Texas will also be allowed to re-open under 25 percent capacity.
In addition, all licensed healthcare professionals in the state, such as doctors and dentists, will be allowed to return to work under fewer restrictions, Abbott added.
The Texas governor emphasized that businesses will not be required to reopen if they feel it is still not safe to do so due to local conditions of the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak.
Abbott said phase two in the re-opening of the state can begin as soon as May 18 and will include businesses like barbershops, hair salons, gyms and bars.
He governor noted that the COVID-19 infection rate in Texas has declined in the last 17 days and the hospitalization rate remains steady. Abbott added that the number of COVID-19 recoveries in Texas is on track to soon exceed the number of active cases.
Moreover, Abbott said the state has developed a testing and tracing program to help identify people infected with COVID-19 that will increase its efforts in the coming weeks. He added that the state should be able to administer 25,000 tests by early May.
According to data from the Texas Health and Human Services, there
Texas has 25,297 confirmed cases of COVID-19 with 663 fatalities and 11,170 recoveries as of Monday afternoon, according to data from the state's Health and Human Services Department.
