Gov. Greg Abbott loosens coronavirus restrictions for restaurants and other businesses in most
Gov. Greg Abbott loosens coronavirus restrictions for restaurants and other businesses in most regions of Texas
by Patrick Svitek, Texas Tribune
Gov. Greg Abbott announced Thursday that most of Texas will be able to loosen some coronavirus restrictions, including letting many businesses increase their capacity to 75%, as soon as Monday.
Retail stores, restaurants and office buildings, which have been open at 50% capacity, will be permitted to expand to 75% capacity. Hospitals will be allowed to offer elective procedures again and nursing homes can reopen for visitations under certain standards.
The new reopening stage applies to 19 of the states 22 hospital regions. The three hospital regions excluded are in the Rio Grande Valley, Laredo and Victoria. Abbott said those regions hospitalizations are still in the danger zone," which he defined as places where coronavirus patients make up 15% or more of all hospitalizations.
At the same time, Abbott said the state was not yet ready to reopen bars, saying they are nationally recognized as COVID-spreading locations. He stressed, though, that the state is looking for ways to let bars reopen safely.
Read more:
https://www.texastribune.org/2020/09/17/greg-abbott-texas-coronavirus/