During a press conference on Monday, Governor Abbott said the state is ready for entering into the next phase of opening up businesses.
Effective May 18, daycares, massage parlors, personal-care and beauty-care businesses can open. This order includes tattoos.
Restaurants can open to 50 percent capacity, and bars can now open at 25 percent, starting Friday, May 22. Summer school can return on June 1.
On May 31, youth camp and professional sports without fans can resume as well.
Professional basketball, baseball, car racing, football, golf, softball, and tennis leagues may apply to the Department of State Health Services for approval to hold professional sporting events in Texas. These events may take place on or after May 31, 2020
Aquariums, bowling alleys, bingo halls, skating rinks and caves will also be able to open on May 22. Zoos can open starting May 29.
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He started off the presser saying that right now, they are working to keep people safe, but keep people employed. He said the state is trying to co-exist with COVID-19 while keeping businesses going.
Abbott reminded the public that COVID-19 has not gone away.
The governor said that the state has seen three things that create hot spots - outbreaks in nursing homes, jails and meat packing plants. He said that when they find these hot spots, they send a surge team that tests more people to try to control the hot spot.
The governor said that is why testing spikes in the areas. These teams have tested 35,000 people across the state.
For those hot spots, they will not be
He released this graph on hospitalizations:
