Texas county orders use of face masks to fight COVID-19

AUSTIN, Texas (AP) — Texas Gov. Greg Abbott said Wednesday local governments can require businesses to mandate customers and workers to wear face masks. That comes after one the state’s most populous counties ordered such a measure amid record numbers of new cases of coronavirus and hospitalizations. The order for Bexar County, which includes the San Antonio area, takes affect Monday and businesses could face fines up to $1,000 for failing to comply. Abbott, a Republican, has refused to order individuals to wear masks in his statewide orders but says other local governments can do the same as Bexar County.