Texas Governor Greg “We Cannot Go Backwards!” Abbott announced today that they are closing the bars and imiting restaurant capacity in Texas:
One day after pausing additional efforts to reopen Texas, Gov. Greg Abbott on Friday announced another round of restrictions, including closing bars and limiting restaurant occupancy.
The executive order requires Texas bars to close at noon today, although those businesses can still remain open for delivery and take out, including for alcoholic beverages. Restaurant dining rooms can remain open, but the order immediately moves occupancy levels from 75% to 50% with some exceptions.
“As I said from the start, if the positivity rate rose above 10%, the state of Texas would take further action to mitigate the spread of COVID-19,” Abbott said in a statement, referring to percentage of tests that come back positive. “At this time, it is clear that the rise in cases is largely driven by certain types of activities, including Texans congregating in bars. The actions in this executive order are essential to our mission to swiftly contain this virus and protect public health.”
Restaurants with less than 51% of their gross receipts from alcohol sales may remain at 75% until Monday before moving down to 50% occupancy.
Don’t worry Texans. According to the new executive order, you can still attend church. You can go and seek God and sing your hearts out on Sunday.
I believe I can hear the howling out of Texas now. I’m sure that Abbott will sick the state alcohol control employees on those recalcitrant bar owners who refuse to close. It is Texas, so I imagine there will be more than a few bar owners who believe in “Live Free, Pay For Drinks, Get COVID-19, and Die!”
Don’t hold your breath.
And as for that other booming hotspot, Florida set another record today: 8942 new cases of coronavirus. The article heads off DeSantis by noting that Florida has not really increased its testing in the last couple of weeks. But I am sure that DeSantis will say that again today in response to this latest testament to his folly.