TEXAS GOVERNOR GREG ABBOTT announced the first steps toward reopening the state for business on Friday, but also announced that all public schools throughout the state will remain closed for the rest of the academic year.
Abbott also added that state parks will reopen on Monday, although visitors will have to wear masks or face coverings while staying at least six feet away from other visitors who are not members of their families.
“We have demonstrated we can corral the coronavirus,” said Abbott. “But in opening Texas, we must be guided by data and by doctors.”
Retail stores may begin providing “to go” service to customers starting on April 24. Abbott also will ease the current ban on elective medical procedures, a ban that will end beginning on Wednesday.
Abbott noted that the original death projections will not happen, but 414 Texans had died of coronavirus as of Friday morning.
The decision to begin pushing forward comes at a time where Texas is last in the percentage of its population being tested, as just over half of 1% of the state’s 28.9 million residents have been formally tested. Public health officials have voiced concern that another wave of infections is likely if restrictions are pulled back too soon.
Abbott said that he would announce what he described as “additional ways to open Texas up” on April 27.
The decision to close schools for the remainder of the year could prove to be a fatal blow for high school athletics. The University Interscholastic League has postponed play through May 4 and is expected to consider the prospects of resuming play – which would likely be without fans in the stands – sometime early next week.
A permanent stoppage of high school athletics would mean the Dickinson High School boys’ basketball team would not have the chance to compete in the state semifinals, which were postponed on March 12 as the pandemic was in its early stages of impacting the nation.
