Gov. Abbott Closes Schools, Bars, Gyms, & Dine-In Food Service

Texas Governor Greg Abbott has announced an order that will go into effect tonight at midnight. The COVID-19 pandemic has been crippling communities around the world and that includes right here in Texas. There have been 3 deaths related to the Coronavirus and community spread diagnosis have been seen in the state. Governor Greg Abbott, along with Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick and House Speaker Dennis Bonnen, announce this afternoon that an executive order would be implemented in the Lone Star state starting at midnight tonight. This executive order, according to the Texas Tribune, states that:

• There must be no gatherings of 10 people or more
• Restaurants can only operate as take-out or drive-thru establishments ( no eating or drinking there)
• All gyms in Texas must close
• No visitors for nursing homes unless the patient is in critical care
• All Texas schools must close

These new regulations go into effect tonight at midnight and will continue until midnight on April 3rd. The governor state that these rules must be put into place so we can go back to our normal lives as soon as possible:

"Working together, we must defeat COVID-19 with the only tool that we have available to us — we must strangle its expansion by reducing the ways that we are currently transmitting it. We are doing this now, today, so that we can get back to business as usual more quickly."

Currently there are 140 confirmed cases of the COVID-19 virus in the Lone Star State. That number was at less than 40 cases one week ago. To find out more information please visit the Texas Tribune website.