Gov. Greg Abbott's stay at home order expires Thursday, and many Texas businesses may open Friday

[brooklynite]

Source: Dallas Morning News

AUSTIN — Gov. Greg Abbott on Monday said his statewide stay-at-home order will expire on Thursday as scheduled, while Texas malls, stores, restaurants, movie theaters and restaurants may open the next day -- with 25% occupancy.

Barber shops, hair salons, gyms, massage establishments, tattoo parlors, video arcades and bowling alleys must wait until mid-May at the earliest to reopen, he said.

Outdoor sports such as golf and tennis may resume with no more than four participants in a match, and they must observe social distancing guidelines, he said.

Businesses will be free to choose not to open, and in less populated counties with five or fewer confirmed cases, they will be able to open at 50% capacity, he said.

Read more: https://www.dallasnews.com/news/public-health/2020/04/27/gov-greg-abbott-set-to-announce-relaxing-of-coronavirus-restrictions-on-texas-business/

[wryter2000]

1. I hope he goes to a movie

To a lot of movies.

[Auggie]

2. Let's check back on the brilliance of this idea on, say, May 15th

Any bets they'll be reeling by then?

[DrToast]

13. May 15th? No.

If it’s going to be a disaster it would take longer than 2 weeks for it to happen.

[Auggie]

15. Pick a date then

[DrToast]

17. Hard to say

Despite what businesses do, the is still going to be a good amount of social distancing. Not everyone is going to be eager to go out.

It might end up looking like Sweden. A high-ish number of cases, but within the capabilities of the hospitals to treat.

[turbinetree]

3. So if the place you worked at prior to the virus goes open and you refuse............

there goes your unemployment check..........because the person is thinking about staying alive..........but hey 25% occupancy..........will they have plastic walls around the seating arrangements, will they count the patrons .................and as for your doubles partner tennis is just a huffing and puffing while playing tennis, trying to stay in the game box.............................and ride sharing on golf cart.............nope............... just charge more for having to have four golf carts...........what a libertarian asshole...................

[Mersky]

4. It's too early, but hey, the economy requires human sacrifices

Only one percent of the state’s population has been tested, so I’m staying put with my essential shopping once a week or less.

[JCMach1]

12. Same here... Self+quarantine until at least June 1

There will be a major spike in TX now, the only question is will it wait until Fall.

[callous taoboy]

5. I live in the town he wants people to be able to flock to.

This is why this pisses me off doubly, because our tea-party Rep. who resides here wrote him a letter begging him to open everything up now. Our town, with only 1 confirmed case so far, is a huge tourist destination, drawing thousands of tourists every weekend from all over the state, including Covid hot-spots like Austin, Houston, Lubbock and Dallas. There is no way in hell our little sidewalks on Main St. are going to accommodate social distancing measures with hundreds of people per hour parading about. The asymptomatic spreaders will be here en masse. I will remain hunkered down, and I'm hoping the masses will too.

[LeftInTX]

7. Lemme guess: Kyle Biedermann

I bet that area has more than one case.

He's such a puke!!!

I wonder if they're gonna open Schlitterbahn, Sea World, Six Flags and the G/Comal rivers???

[Mersky]

6. I saw too many people without masks walking into a grocery store

So, I didn’t even get out of my car - can live without a few items. This was in a county that has social distancing measures in place, but doesn’t require masks.

There’s just no way in hell these depraved politicians are gonna see the likes of me sitting for two hours in a theater. I don’t care how far apart people sit - the plot of any movie would be driven by sneezes and coughs, ew.

This public health ‘experiment’ will be a predictable shitshow.

[LeftInTX]

8. No way will I go to a theater.

All they ever show are action hero movies, which I can't stand anyway.

[Mersky]

9. Yeah, I haven't been to the movies in three years

Nonetheless, I enjoy them on occasion, but you couldn’t pay me enough to go during this pandemic.

Is just one of the nonsensical businesses to open at this time.

[rownesheck]

10. In Harris county

we were supposed to wear masks in public beginning today as mandated by the county. Doesn't seem there is any type of enforcement. I saw lots of people out and about and in my store not wearing them. Texans have that "ain't no gubmint gonna tell me what to do, buddy!" type of attitude. This is in a red part of a blue county. Maybe it's different in other areas of the county.

[JCMach1]

11. Political BS ... It's 25% of capacity which in most places

Is quite large. Your average chain restaurant might officially have a 200+ person capacity which means 50-80 customers in the dining room.

Essentially, this means there are NO RESTRICTIONS from normal operations

[democrattotheend]

16. But at 25% capacity, people can be further apart

I don't know if any business can be profitable that way though.

[JCMach1]

18. Those capacity numbers are ALWAYS inflated... It essentially means business as normal

I your restaurant says 200+ that's 75-80... essentially what it would be on a normal night!

It's entirely political CYA!

[Steelrolled]

19. de Blasio

tried this in NYC at the start of the pandemic, restricting bars and restaurants to 50% occupancy. Reports are that it was largely ignored. I always wonder how much this weak measure led to the huge outbreak in NYC.

[pecosbob]

14. I moved away from Texas years ago because of all the crazies moving in...

Each wave more ignorant and more racist than the last...now it seems they're locked in a contest to see who can die the most senseless death.

[Paladin]

20. As if I'm going to endanger my life.....

....because shitheads like Greg Abbott and Dan Patrick say it's safe to open things up.

Hey, Governor Abbott: Is the governor's mansion open for public tours this weekend? No, I didn't think it would be.