Gov. Greg Abbott unveiled new guidelines aimed at reopening Texas businesses from closures imposed due to COVID-19 this week.
Under Abbott’s new plans, any of the state’s Trauma Service Areas with a hospitalization rate under 15 percent over seven days will be allowed to engage in the next round of reopenings. As of this writing, this would include Amarillo as eligible to engage in reopenings. The only areas of the state currently precluded from such reopenings would be Victoria, Laredo, and the Lower Rio Grande Valley.
The new plans allow restaurants, retail stores, and office buildings in the designated areas to reopen at 75 percent capacity. Hospitals will also be allowed to offer elective surgeries and nursing homes will be allowed to reopen for visitations.
However, the new phase of reopenings does not benefit all Texas businesses. As of this writing, bars will stay closed under the new plans, with Abbott saying such establishments are, “nationally recognized as COVID-spreading locations.”
There is no word yet on when rules related to the wearing of masks will be lifted.