With coronavirus cases climbing, Gov. Abbott says ‘no real need’ to scale back business reopenings
With the number of people hospitalized for the new coronavirus continuing to climb in Texas, Gov. Greg Abbott said Friday that there’s “no real need to ratchet back the opening of businesses in the state.”
The state reported Friday that the number of people hospitalized in Texas who are confirmed to have the coronavirus has increased to a new peak of 2,166.
But as the reopening of businesses continues – as of Friday, restaurants in Texas are allowed to operate at 75% capacity, and almost all businesses can operate at 50% capacity – Abbott and other state officials have kept a close eye on the situation in Texas hospitals.
The number of available beds is seen as a key gauge for the state’s ability to handle a potential surge in coronavirus cases, and Abbott has said the hospitalization rate – the proportion of infected Texans who are requiring hospitalization – is a benchmark he’s closely monitoring.
And while the number of people hospitalized with the virus has climbed, state officials and local hospital leaders have expressed confidence in their capacities.
