Governor Abbott Allows Texas Bars To Reopen Next Week, Other Businesses To Expand Capacity

Texas State Governor, Greg Abbott allows Texas Bar to Reopen next week as other businesses will expand capacity if County Judges permits. 

The Governor on Wednesday announced that bars and similar establishments can open at 50% capacity in regions with low COVID-19 hospitalizations beginning Oct. 14, 2020, if county judges opt-in and assist in enforcing coronavirus health protocols.

Abbott said, most Texas bars can now open to 50% capacity and other businesses such as amusement parks, movie theatres and zoos can expand to 75% capacity beginning next week.

Gov. Greg Abbott announced the move in a video posted on his Facebook page Wednesday afternoon.

Other businesses such as amusement parks, movie theatres, zoos and bowling alleys also must be in a region with COVID-19 hospitalizations lower than 15%.

Those establishments can expand to 75% capacity on Oct. 12. “Texans have shown that we can contain the spread of COVID by following health protocols and guidelines,”

Abbott said. “Our state is prepared for these additional openings, but we all must remain vigilant and show personal responsibility to protect ourselves and our loved ones.”

Abbott noted that the seven-day average for the positivity rate of new COVID-19 cases and hospitalizations and deaths “have remained steady” since July.

Along with bars, river tubing operations have been closed since July.

“It is time to open them up,” Abbott said. “If we continue to contain COVID, then these openings just like other openings should be able to expand in the near future.”

Members of the public are advised to adhere to all protocols to curtail the spread of the covid-19 pandemic.