Texas Governor Greg Abbott recently announced his plans to allow non-essential businesses to reopen their doors to customers despite a rising number of coronavirus hotspots in the state.

During a news conference on Tuesday, Abbott said cosmetology salons, barbershops, and tanning salons could reopen on May 8, Friday. They are required to follow certain guidelines.

Under the newly released restrictions, hairstylists should only work with a single customer at a time. People waiting in line outside the shops should maintain a 6-foot separation. Businesses are also encouraged to apply an appointment system to prevent a surge of customers. Stylists and customers are also required to wear face coverings.

Gyms can resume operations on May 18. Customers are required to wear gloves and observe social distancing. The management must also limit the number of members inside the establishment at a time at a maximum of 25 percent of its usual capacity.

Also, showers and locker rooms are to remain closed. Gym equipment should also be disinfected after every use.


Other Establishments

Apart from salons and gyms, office buildings with either 25 percent of the workforce will be allowed to reopen. Manufacturers that were previously deemed non-essential can restart production at 25 percent occupancy.

Abbott did not mention pools, but he revealed pool owners would be allowed to reopen at a later date. According to his executive order, which is published on the state's government website, pools will be allowed to operate at 25 percent capacity. Local public swimming pools are required to get permission to reopen from the local government.


Flaring Hotspots

Texas has been seeing outbreaks in its prisons, meatpacking plants, and nursing homes in recent days. Health care workers recorded more than 1,000 new COVID-19 cases on Tuesday, bringing the state's total number of cases now over 33,000.

Travis County reported 70 additional coronavirus cases on Wednesday with 57 deaths on Tuesday. Hays County also reported 12 new cases.

Experts say loosening the coronavirus restrictions could place many people together, creating places for the virus to thrive and rapidly spread. Greg Abbott said they had put together surge response teams who will be responsible for tending to hot spots.

A week ago, more than 303 people had died in long-term care facilities in Texas. State officials, however, have withheld information about where the fatalities happened. Neither the public nor the victims' families were given details about the deaths.

Health officials are also refusing to name places with known cases and are accused of underreporting the total number of infections in all care centers.

The state has also failed to provide more information on prisoners and employees of the prison system who tested positive for the virus. Families, activists, and federal judges are among those urging the state government to reveal how big the outbreaks are.

With the reopening of businesses and encouraging the state's residents to step out and get back to work, moving back and forth from hot spots to public places could prove devastating. Without widespread testing in Texas, the uncertainty of what's safe and who's been exposed certainly increases.

Watch his entire press conference below:


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