Abbott announces plan for reopening

Governor Greg Abbott on Friday announced a phase-in of re-opening the Texas economy, while maintaining safe practices to guard against additional infections of the COVID-19 virus.

Abbott's executive order includes:

*Allowing certain elective medical procedures without an exception. He said additional personal protective gear (PPE) was being arranged to allow for the additional medical procedures.

*Beginning a "retail to go" initiative for businesses beginning next Friday, with appropriate social distancing practices.

*Re-opening state parks on Monday with requisite of mask-wearing and distancing measures.

The governor determined it was unsafe for schools to gather as normal, so as a result, classrooms will be closed remainder of 2019-2020 school year. TEA Commissioner Mike Morath will announce later how to proceed with graduations.

He also promised increased private-sector testing for COVID-19 and said those results would determine at what rate the economy can be be re-opened in phases.

Abbott stated the stay-at-home measures would be reconsidered by the end of the month.