Emilee Prado
After operating at 25% capacity for over a month now, Texas businesses can now operate at 50% capacity.
Texas Gov. Greg Abbott released the third phase of reopening Texas on Wednesday, June 3. Under the new order, most businesses can now expand their capacity to 50%, if they haven't done so already. Businesses in counties with 10 or less active COVID-19 cases can expand their occupancy to 75% on June 12, while amusement parks and carnivals in counties with more than 1,000 positive cases could expand to 50% capacity on June 19. Restaurants can also expand their capacity to 75% on June 12.
According to a media release, there are currently 20,679 active COVID-19 cases in the state right now, with 45,858 individuals already recovered from the virus. Around 1,487 Texans are currently hospitalized from COVID-19, with 45% of new cases coming from jails, meatpacking plants and nursing homes between May 26 and June 2.
"The people of Texas continue to prove that we can safely and responsibly open our state for business while containing COVID-19 and keeping our state safe,” Abbott says in the release. "As anticipated, the new positive cases that we are seeing are largely the result of isolated hot spots in nursing homes, jails and meatpacking plants. Thanks to the effectiveness of our surge response teams, we have the ability to contain those hot spots while opening up Texas for business.”
Abbott still encourages individuals to wear the appropriate face coverings, avoid nursing homes and assisted living facilities and not be in groups larger than 10 people. People over the age of 65 are encouraged to stay home for as long as possible.
“As we begin Phase 3, I ask all Texans and Texas businesses to continue following the standard health protocols and to heed the guidance of our state and federal officials who continue to closely monitor COVID-19,” Abbott says. “If we remain vigilant, we will continue to mitigate the spread of this virus, protect public health and get more Texans back to work and their daily activities."
A full list of guidelines and reopenings can be viewed online at Open.Texas.Gov.