Coronavirus Spreading At ‘Unacceptable Rate’ In Texas, Governor Says

TOPLINE

Texas Gov. Greg Abbott pleaded for residents to wear masks and follow social distancing guidelines, but offered little in terms of additional state action while speaking at a news conference Monday, which was called because nearly every major metric for detecting coronavirus spread shows that Texas is heading in the wrong direction.

KEY FACTS

CRITICAL QUOTE

“Texans can and frankly need to step up collaboratively to respond to this increase,” Abbott said, later adding, “To state the obvious, Covid-19 is spreading at an unacceptable rate in Texas and must be corralled.”

KEY BACKGROUND

Abbott noted that metrics started pointing in the wrong direction around Memorial Day, which featured many large gatherings and packed crowds at popular vacation destinations clearly ignoring social distancing guidelines. Texas is joined by several other states, primarily in the South and West—which primarily have Republican governors that were eager to reopen—in recording a major spike in cases throughout the month of June. Notably, large states like Florida and Arizona are also consistently setting records for new cases.

WHAT TO WATCH FOR

Gatherings of 500 or more people will be allowed for upcoming Fourth of July celebrations, Abbott said, unless localities put in measures to restrict the size of those gatherings. Abbott said he’s allowing local governments to make that decision if they feel it is necessary.

FURTHER READING

Texas Mayors Ask Governor Abbott To Be Able To Enforce Wearing Face Masks (Forbes)

‘This has to stop’: Houston ICUs filling up after surge in COVID-19 hospitalizations (Houston Chronicle)

Texas And Arizona Keep Setting Coronavirus Hospitalization Records (Forbes)

Packed Boardwalks And Wild Lake Parties On Memorial Day Weekend, As Birx Warns There Should Be ‘No More Than 10 People’ At An Outdoor Gathering (Forbes)