Texas announced Thursday a temporary pause in its reopening process amid spikes in coronavirus cases in the southern state.
“THIS IS A TEMPORARY PAUSE”
“The last thing we want to do as a state is go backwards and close down businesses. This temporary pause will help our state corral the spread until we can safely enter the next phase of opening our state for business,” Governor Greg Abbott said in a statement, noting residents will continue earning a paycheck to support their families during the pause period.
The state recorded an all-time case tally Wednesday with 5,551 new infections and 4,389 hospitalizations — the highest since April 17, according to the state officials
Texas has nearly 126,000 cases and almost 2,250 deaths, while estimated recoveries approach 73,000.
Businesses permitted to open under the previous phase can continue to operate at the designated occupancy levels and under minimum standard health protocols provided by the Texas Department of State Health Services, according to the statement.
