During a virtual meeting and press conference on coronavirus on April 13, Texas Governor Greg Abbott said, “Later this week I will outline both safe and healthy strategies where we can begin the process of going about reopening businesses in Texas and revitalizing our economy.”
This statement mirrored what Abbott said during an interview on the Fox News’ Hannity the same day.
“We want to open. Texans love to work. Texans are dying to get back to work,” Abbott said on Hannity. “We want them to get back to work, but we have to do so in a very safe way so that we don’t regenerate the spread of the coronavirus in the state of Texas. But we’re working on strategies as we speak with medical experts and business leaders to find the right strategy so we can unleash our economy.”
“Texas was the number one state in the United States for job creation last year; leading in Gross Domestic Product,” Abbott continued. “It is essential for the future of the United States of America economically. America needs Texas to get back to business.”
During a press conference on April 10, Abbott said, “Next week, I will be providing an executive order, talking about what will be done in Texas about reopening Texas businesses also in a way that will be safe for that economic revitalization. We will focus on protecting lives while restoring livelihoods.… We can do both.”
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The Texas Tribune reported on April 13 that Abbott clarified his plans when he explained that reopening the Texas economy will be a “slow process” guided by public health concerns as he continues to develop a forthcoming executive order that will detail his strategy to reignite business in the state.
When asked for more details, Abbott indicated his announcement will include a “comprehensive team” that will “evaluate what must be done for Texas to open back up, ensuring what we are doing is consistent with data, with medical analysis, as well as strategies about which type of businesses will be able to open up.”
“This is not gonna be a rush-the-gates, everybody-is-able-to-suddenly-reopen-all-at-once” situation, Abbott said during a news conference at the Texas Capitol in Austin. During that event, he announced $50 million in loans to small businesses suffering under the pandemic.
During his press conference, Abbott observed, “There have been some businesses that have been open while at the same time, we’ve been reducing the spread of the coronavirus, so we need to learn from the strategies about what works and allow other businesses to deploy those strategies while we are ensuring that we continue to slow the spread of the coronavirus.”
Abbott pointed to techniques used in New York City, which is an epicenter of the pandemic, such as “contact tracing” and regularly taking people’s temperature in public, and added that Texas could learn from that model as implemented back East. Some of these methods are already being used in Texas. This writer’s son-in-law, for example, is considered to be an essential worker because he is employed at Walmart’s local distribution center. He said that all employees there have their temperatures taken every day when they arrive at work.
Photo: AP Images
Warren Mass has served The New American since its launch in 1985 in several capacities, including marketing, editing, and writing. Since retiring from the staff several years ago, he has been a regular contributor to the magazine. Warren writes from Texas and can be reached at [email protected].
