At the end of this article is a list of protocols to go to shops, restaurants, movies, churches, etc.

By PATRICK SVITEK ,Texas Tribune

Gov. Greg Abbott said Monday that he will let the state’s stay-at-home order expire Thursday as scheduled and allow businesses to begin reopening in phases the next day, the latest ramp-up in his push to restart the Texas economy amid the coronavirus pandemic.

First to open Friday: retail stores, restaurants, movie theaters and malls. But they will only be allowed to operate at 25% capacity. Museums and libraries will also be allowed to open at 25% capacity, but hands-on exhibits must remain closed.

Abbott said a second phase of business reopenings could come as soon as May 18 — as long as the state sees “two weeks of data to confirm no flare-up of COVID-19.” That second phase would allow businesses to expand their occupancy to 50%, according to the governor.

Abbott made the announcement during a news conference at the Texas Capitol, which he began by saying he would let the stay-at-home order expire because it “has done its job to slow the growth of COVID-19.” While the spread of the virus in Texas has slowed down throughout April, the number of cases is still increasing day to day, and it is unclear if the state has yet seen its peak.

“Now it’s time to set a new course, a course that responsibly opens up business in Texas,” Abbott said, flanked by Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick and Texas House Speaker Dennis Bonnen. “Just as we united as one state to slow COVID-19, we must also come together to begin rebuilding the lives and the livelihoods of our fellow Texans.”

Abbott said his new order “supersedes all local orders” saying those businesses must remain closed. He also said his order overrules any local government that wants to impose a fine or penalty for not wearing a mask — something the latest statewide rules encourage but do not mandate.

Abbott stressed that his order “gives permission to reopen, not a requirement,” and businesses can stay shuttered if they would like.

At the same time, Abbott said he is holding off on reopening certain businesses for the time, including barbershops, hair salons, bars and gyms. He said he hopes those businesses can open “on or no later than mid-May.”

Abbott’s announcement Monday also came with news for entities that have been allowed to stay open through the pandemic, such as churches. He said his latest rules allow them to “expand their capacity even more” as long as they follow social distancing practices. The details of that expansion were not immediately available but can be found here .

As for outdoor sports, Abbott said they will be allowed as long as they are limited to four participants — allowing for sports like golf or tennis — and social distancing is also respected. The goal of the second phase would be to permit more participants, Abbott said.

Abbott’s latest announcement also lets all licensed health care professionals return to work, though there are a few restrictions, he said. Hospitals must keep 15% of their capacity for COVID-19 patients.

Abbott’s news conference Monday marked his second announcement about restarting the Texas economy amid the pandemic. He announced initial steps 10 days ago that included the formation of a task force, loosening of restrictions on surgeries, reopening of state parks and allowance of to-go retail sales. That option, which lets stores make deliveries to customers’ cars or homes, went into effect Friday.

Abbott continued to talk of a coming increase in testing and said the state soon would “easily exceed our goal of 25,000 tests per day.” The state has been adding an average about 14,000 tests per day over the past week, according to figures from the Texas Department of State Health Services. Still, the total number of tests done as of Monday — 290,517 — remained about 1% of Texas’ nearly 29 million people.

Asked about enforcement of his new rules, Abbott said all his executive orders during the pandemic have carried a potential punishment of up to a $1,000 fine or 180 days in jail. For the latest order, he said, the “more primary enforcement would be either the local level or the regulatory level,” noting a business could lose its license if it does not comply.

The Texas Tribune is a non-profit, digital-only news organization focused on statewide and legislative issues.

The Governor’s Report to Open Texas

“As we open Texas, we are each called upon to be Texans: to act responsibly as we re-engage in the economy, to continue following all health precautions and sanitizing guidelines, and to care for our vulnerable neighbors. Lives depend on our actions. I know you will respond as Texans,” Abbott stated Monday.

Reopening protocols stated on April 27 are found at the Texas Governor website: https://gov.texas.gov/organization/opentexas

Health protocols for restaurant customers:
 Maintain at least 6 feet separation from other individuals not within the same party. If such distancing is not feasible, other measures such as face covering when not sitting at the table, hand hygiene, cough etiquette, cleanliness, and sanitation should be rigorously practiced.
 Self-screen before going into a restaurant for any of the following new or worsening signs or symptoms of possible COVID-19:
 Cough
 Shortness of breath or difficulty breathing
 Chills
 Repeated shaking with chills
 Muscle pain
 Headache
 Sore throat
 Loss of taste or smell
 Diarrhea
 Feeling feverish or a measured temperature greater than or equal to 100.0 degrees
Fahrenheit
 Known close contact with a person who is lab confirmed to have COVID-19
 Wash or disinfect hands upon entering a restaurant and after any interaction with employees, other customers, or items in the restaurant.
 No tables of more than 6 people.
 Customers should wash or sanitize their hands after the payment process.
 Consistent with the actions taken by many individuals across the state, consider wearing cloth face coverings (over the nose and mouth) when not at the table, or when within 6 feet of another person who is not a member of the individual’s household. If available, individuals should consider wearing non-medical grade face masks.

More details for restaurant operators at this link:

Health protocols for retail customers:
 Self-screen before going into a retailer for any of the following, and do not go into a retailer with any of the following symptoms:
 Cough
 Shortness of breath or difficulty breathing
 Chills
 Repeated shaking with chills
 Muscle pain
 Headache
 Sore throat
 Loss of taste or smell
 Diarrhea
 Feeling feverish or a measured temperature greater than or equal to 100.0 degrees
Fahrenheit
 Known close contact with a person who is lab confirmed to have COVID-19
 Wash or disinfect hands upon entering a retailer and after any interaction with employees, other customers, or items in the retailer.
 Maintain at least 6 feet separation from other individuals not within the same household. If such distancing is not feasible, other measures such as face covering, hand hygiene, cough etiquette, cleanliness, and sanitation should be rigorously practiced.
 Wash or sanitize hands after the payment process.
 Consistent with the actions taken by many individuals across the state, consider wearing cloth face coverings (over the nose and mouth) when entering a retailer, or when within 6 feet of another person who is not a member of the individual’s household. If available, individuals should consider wearing non-medical grade face masks.

More protocols for retailers at this link.

Health protocols for movie theater customers:
 Maintain at least 6 feet separation from other individuals who are not attending the movie together. If such distancing is not feasible, other measures such as face covering, hand hygiene, cough etiquette, cleanliness, and sanitation should be rigorously practiced.
 Self-screen before going into a movie theater for any of the following new or worsening signs or symptoms of possible COVID-19:
 Cough
 Shortness of breath or difficulty breathing
 Chills
 Repeated shaking with chills
 Muscle pain
 Headache
 Sore throat
 Loss of taste or smell
 Diarrhea
 Feeling feverish or a measured temperature greater than or equal to 100.0 degrees
Fahrenheit
 Known close contact with a person who is lab confirmed to have COVID-19
 Wash or disinfect hands upon entering a movie theater and after any interaction with employees, other customers, or items in the movie theater.
 Consistent with the actions taken by many individuals across the state, consider wearing cloth face coverings (over the nose and mouth) when entering a movie theater, or when within 6 feet of another person who is not a member of the individual’s household. If available, individuals should consider wearing non-medical grade face masks.
 Wash or sanitize hands after the payment process.

Movie operators have protocols spelled out at this link: Movie copmanies

Health protocols for serving church and worship attendees:
 Strongly encourage the at-risk population to watch or participate in the service remotely.
 Designate an area inside the facility reserved for the at-risk population, or offer a service for at-risk population attendees only.
 Ensure proper spacing between attendees:
 Keep at least two empty seats (or six feet separation) between parties in any row, except as follows:

• Two or more members of the same household can sit adjacent to one another, with two seats (or six feet separation) empty on either side.

• Two individuals who are not members of the same household but who are attending together can sit adjacent to one another, with two seats (or six feet separation) empty on either side.
   Alternate rows between attendees (every other row left empty).

More protocols are in place for employees and volunteers as well as facilities at this link.

Health protocols for outdoor sports participants:

Self-screen before playing in an outdoor sport for any of the following, new or worsening signs or symptoms of possible COVID-19:
 Cough
 Shortness of breath or difficulty breathing
 Chills
 Repeated shaking with chills
 Muscle pain
 Headache
 Sore throat
 Loss of taste or smell
 Diarrhea
 Feeling feverish or a measured temperature greater than or equal to 100.0 degrees
Fahrenheit
 Known close contact with a person who is lab confirmed to have COVID-19
 Special consideration for golf courses:
 Clean and sanitize golf carts and push carts between uses.
 Except for members of the same household, no more than one individual per golf cart.
 Clean and disinfect driving range golf balls between use.
 Ensure separation of at least 6 feet between golfers on the driving range.