Gov. Greg Abbott working on executive order to reopen businesses in Texas
AUSTIN, Texas (KTRK) -- During a news conference on Good Friday, Texas Governor Greg Abbott said he's working on ways to get Texans back to work.
Abbott said he plans to sign an executive order next week outlining how businesses will reopen in Texas.
"We will focus on protecting lives while restoring livelihoods," Abbott said. "We can and we must do this. We can do both, expand and restore the livelihoods that Texans want to have by helping them return to work.
One thing about Texans, they enjoy working and they want to get back into the workforce. We have to come up with strategies on how we can do this safely."
While Abbott did not provide details, he did provide some hope that the opening of non-essential businesses could be weeks away instead of months.
Small business owner, Megan Hollek, says she gets calls every day from clients and employees asking when her hair salon, The Parlour Salon, will be open again. All 8 employees have filed for unemployment benefits.
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"The fear is how much longer is this going to last," Hollek said as she stood outside her salon, which has been closed for 4 weeks now. "Let us go back as soon as possible. As soon as it's safe, let people work, even if it is on a smaller scale. We will abide by any guidelines we need to."
As of Friday, the Texas Department of Health has confirmed 11,671 COVID-19 cases in 176 counties. The state's death toll is 226. There are more than 20,000 hospital beds available statewide, and 7,834 ventilators.
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