Texas City Eases Coronavirus Lockdown Measures
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Texas started easing coronavirus lockdown measures on Friday ignoring the report of single-day death. This has lead to the biggest and latest US state to loosen restrictions without a significant decrease in the number of reported cases of viruses. Markets, restaurants, movie theatres, malls, museums, and libraries are now allowed to reopen in the Lone Star State but with reduced accommodation — just 25 per cent of their capacity.
Public swimming pools, restaurants, gyms, beauty salons, massage parlours, bowling alleys, tattoo shops and video game arcades remain closed. And Texas Governor Greg Abbott heard a note of caution, writing, “Texans will continue to teach social distancing” and adopting recommendations on wellness.
Mexican restaurant Picos, located in Houston’s centre, reopened Friday morning to customers. Marketing manager Monica Richards described the new standard of the restaurant: “We went ahead and put up Plexiglas barriers around the bar, we got a couple at the hostess stand, all of our employees would wear masks and gloves,” she said. Sitting at the table with a disposable tablecloth, cutlery and menu, customer Jack Sweed said he was “happy” to help the local company.
According to state health authorities, more than 29,200 cases of coronavirus have been identified in Texas and 816 deaths have occurred. On Thursday, fifty COVID-19 deaths were registered in the state, the most since the epidemic began in early March and 1,000 new cases were identified, the largest single-day number since April 10.
President Donald Trump is Confused
Federal guidelines allow for a 14-day reduction in the number of cases immediately before easing lockdown measures, but Texas and many other US states have pressed ahead with reopening regardless.
President Donald Trump has sent mixed signals about the country’s reopening. It is with the election just six months away and the economy in a shambles. He has supported the guidelines while expressing support for demonstrations. It is in many states demanding a faster relaxation of residence-at-home directives at the same time. Trump weighed in Friday on protests the day before in Lansing, Michigan. This is where protesters, some of whom arm, invade the state legislature. They demand lockout orders from the Democratic governor. The president tweets Governor Gretchen Whitmer expects to “give a little and put the fire out.”
On Friday, protests took place in many other states including California. It is where Governor Gavin Newsom revokes an order that allows several beaches to open. It is after they pack last weekend. Although Newsom was re-closing beaches. New York Governor Andrew Cuomo declared that schools in New York state, the US outbreak’s epicentre. It will remain closed for the remainder of the academic year. With over one million confirmed cases, about 64,000 of which are fatal. The United States has recorded more illnesses and deaths than any other country in the world.
The number of cases is in some of the hardest-hit states. It is like New York and New Jersey has been on the decline. But the average count of new cases nationally has kept steady. It is at almost 30,000, and the US report more than 2,000 deaths for both. It is the third day running on Thursday, as per a report by Johns Hopkins University.
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