Texas Gov. Greg Abbott announced Thursday the state will pause its efforts to reopen its economy as the number of CCP virus infections increase and hospital beds get filled.
Describing the move as a “temporary pause,” the governor said it will deal with the spread of the virus so that Texas can open again.
He said, “I ask all Texans to do their part to slow the spread of COVID-19 by wearing a mask, washing their hands regularly, and socially distancing from others. The more that we all follow these guidelines, the safer our state will be and the more we can open up Texas for business.”
“You will see local community mitigation steps depending on circumstances. As I said, the hotspots are in 3 percent of American counties. About 110 counties right now are the ones that we are focused on. We can get back to work, back to school, back to worship, and more importantly, back to health care, if we act responsibly as individuals,” Azar told Fox News on Thursday.
The majority of the cases are occurring in older Americans with preexisting health issues such as obesity, lung disease, or diabetes, Azar told the broadcaster, echoing comments made by top health officials earlier this year. Most of the country, he added, can resume their normal activities while wearing face masks.