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Texas government response to the COVID-19 pandemic

November 26, 2023

The government of Texas's initial response to the COVID-19 pandemic in the state consisted of a decentralized system that was mostly reliant on local policies. As the pandemic progressed in Texas and throughout the rest of the country, the Texas government closed down several businesses and parks, and it eventually imposed a statewide stay-at-home order in late May. Then, between May and June 2020, the state government initiated a phased reopening, which was viewed as controversial. The reopening was phased back in June and July 2020 following a new surge of COVID-19 cases in the state. In March 2021, as COVID-19 vaccines began to be administered throughout the U.S., the Texas government reopened the state again.

Map of the outbreak in Texas by confirmed new infections per 100,000 people over 14 days (last updated March 2021)
  1,000+
  500–1,000
  200–500
  100–200
  50–100
  20–50
  10–20
  0–10
  No confirmed new cases or no/bad data
Map of the outbreak in Texas by confirmed total infections per 100,000 people (last updated March 2021)
  10,000+
  3,000–10,000
  1,000–3,000
  300–1,000
  100–300
  30–100
  0–30
  No confirmed infected or no data

Background edit

See also: Timeline of the COVID-19 pandemic in Texas and Timeline of the COVID-19 pandemic in the United States

On December 31, 2019, China reported a cluster of pneumonia cases in its city of Wuhan. On January 7, 2020, the Chinese health authorities confirmed that this cluster was caused by a novel infectious coronavirus.[1] On January 8, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) issued an official health advisory via its Health Alert Network (HAN) and established an Incident Management Structure to coordinate domestic and international public health actions.[2] On January 10 and 11, the World Health Organization (WHO) warned about a strong possibility of human-to-human transmission and urged precautions.[3] On January 20, the WHO and China confirmed that human-to-human transmission had occurred.[4]

The initial origin of community spread in Texas remains unclear, but numerous anecdotal accounts by those later confirmed have included onset dates as early as December 28 in Point Venture, and retrospective analyses have found unexplained statistical increases in deaths during this time.[5][6][7] Testing capacity across the state remained extremely limited until after the first recorded cases were announced.[5]

Research from Austin Public Health conducted in May found 68 COVID-19 patients in Central Texas who began reporting symptoms dating back to around the beginning of March.[8] On March 2, San Antonio Mayor Nirenberg issued a public health emergency after an individual positive for the virus is mistakenly released from quarantine at JBSA–Lackland.[9] Two days later, the DSHS reports a presumptive positive test result for COVID-19 from a resident of Fort Bend County in the Houston area. A man in his 70s, he is the first known positive case of the disease in Texas outside of those evacuated from Wuhan and the Diamond Princess cruise ship.[10] The patient had recently traveled to Egypt and was hospitalized.[11]

Timeline edit

Initial actions and first lockdown edit

 
The Texas National Guard was deployed to aid in COVID-19 testing and prevention efforts

In March 2020, The Texas Tribune described the state's pandemic response as a "patchwork system" characterized by its decentralized nature and reliance on locally enacted policies.[12] The following month, WalletHub ranked the Texas as one of the 10 least aggressive states for limiting COVID-19 exposure based on policy decisions, risk factors, and infrastructure.[13]

The Texas Department of State Health Services (DSHS) activated a virtual State Medical Operations Center (SMOC) in January 2020 to coordinate data collection and activities between the state and local agencies. The department and local health departments also began assessing recent travelers to Hubei Province in China with respiratory ailments for possible testing for SARS-CoV-2, encouraging individuals to "contact their health care provider if they develop fever, cough or shortness of breath within 14 days of being in Hubei." The Texas Division of Emergency Management (TDEM) was tasked with logistical coordination on health supplies with local groups. A briefing was held by Abbott on January 27 concerning the COVID-19 outbreak; HHS Commissioner Courtney Philips, DSHS Health Services Commissioner John William Hellerstedt, and TDEM Chief Nim Kidd delivered the briefing.[14] On January 30, Abbott joined other state governors in a conference call with U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Secretary Alex Azar, CDC Director Robert Redfield, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases Director Anthony Fauci, and other health officials to discuss disease mitigation and prevention strategies.[15] State officials from emergency management, health services, law enforcement, public schools, and universities also met the same morning to outline logistics and coronavirus information.[16]

A state of disaster was declared by Abbott for all counties in Texas on March 13, giving emergency powers to Abbott and his administration to order lockdowns.[17][18] Throughout March, the state waived various healthcare and economic regulations.[19] These included waived trucking and licensing regulations for drivers, alcohol delivery from bars and restaurants, and Medicaid regulations.[18][20][21][22] Abbott and the Texas Department of Insurance (TDI) requested health insurers and health maintenance organizations to waive pandemic-related costs for patients on March 5.[23] The Texas Supreme Court ruled to suspend most eviction proceedings by at least a month on March 19.[24] Several regulations were waived to increase the state's medical workforce;[25][26][27] inactive and retired nurses were allowed to reactivate their licenses and temporary licensing was expedited for out-of-state medical professionals.[28][29] Local governments were authorized to delay local elections for 2020.[30] The federal government supplied $628.8 million in public assistance grants to Texas through FEMA following a federal disaster declaration on March 25.[31] Additional federal funding was also distributed through the CARES Act, Small Business Administration,[32][33]

On March 19, Abbott ordered the temporary prohibition of dining at bars and restaurants and the closure of gyms effective beginning the following day in a series of executive orders. Social gatherings involving more than 10 people were also prohibited.[34][35] Two days later, hospitals were allowed to have more than one patient per room and "elective or non-essential" medical procedures were ordered suspended.[36] A legal dispute emerged after Attorney General Ken Paxton confirmed that most abortions were included in the suspension.[37][38][39] The United States District Court for the Western District of Texas blocked the abortion ban on March 30, which was overturned by the United States Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit on March 31.[40][41] A three-judge panel on the Fifth Circuit reaffirmed the ban on April 10.[42] Texas became the 21st state to activate its National Guard on March 17.[43] The state mandated 14-day quarantines for travelers arriving from pandemic hotspots in the U.S. beginning on March 26 until all travel restrictions were lifted on May 21.[44][45] Abbott initially decided against statewide shelter-in-place or stay-at-home orders due to the fact that more than 200 counties did not have any cases in mid-March.[46][47] However, Abbott issued a de facto stay-at-home order on March 31, directing all Texans to remain at home unless conducting essential activities and services and to "minimize social gatherings and minimize in-person contact with people who are not in the same household." The order exempted places of worship as essential services (subject to social distancing), but Abbott still recommended that remote services be conducted instead. Abbott specifically avoided use of the terms "stay-at-home order" or "shelter-in-place" to describe the order, arguing that they were either misnomers (shelter-in-place usually referred to emergency situations) or did not adequately reflect the goal of the order.[48][49]

Texas Historical Commission historical sites and state parks were closed beginning at 5 p.m. April 7,[50][51] remaining closed until an executive order reopened them on April 20.[52][53] The state government continued to relax regulations regarding medical protocols through April. Pharmacy technicians were authorized to accept over-the-phone prescription drug orders beginning on April 7 and telehealth services were authorized across a broad range of telecommunication media.[54][55] Local emergency medical service providers were allowed to utilize qualified individuals without formal certification.[56] Similar training requirements were waived for other medical fields.[57][58] On May 20, The Governor, Lieutenant Governor, and Speaker of the House released a letter detailing a plan to reduce the budget of many state agencies by 5 percent as part of the state's preparation for COVID-19's economic impact.[59][60]

Initial reopening efforts edit

 
Governor Greg Abbott met with U.S. President Donald Trump in the Oval Office on May 7 to discuss the pandemic.

Between May and June 2020, the Texas state government began loosening restrictions on businesses and activities in a series of phases amid the pandemic, allowing businesses to reopen and operate with increasing capacity.[61] Texas was one of the first states to publicize a timetable for lifting restrictions and the underlying plan was one of the most expansive in the country for reopening businesses.[62][63] It began with Phase I on May 1 and continued through Phase III on June 3. Abbott suspended the reopening process on June 25 following a rapid increase of COVID-19 cases 113 days after the first case was confirmed in Texas.[61]

On March 23, Lieutenant Governor Dan Patrick made controversial statements on the Fox News show Tucker Carlson Tonight, saying that "as a senior citizen", he was "willing to take a chance on [his] survival in exchange for keeping the America that all America loves for [his] children and grandchildren," later suggesting that grandparents in the country would do the same and advocating that the U.S. "get back to work."[64][65] As Patrick appeared to insinuate lives were worth sacrificing for the health of the economy, his comments drew criticism on Twitter, where the hashtag #NotDying4WallStreet trended.[66] New York Governor Andrew Cuomo commented on Twitter that "no one should be talking about social darwinism for the sake of the stock market."[67] The editorial board of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram characterized Patrick's comments as "morbid" and a "recipe for embarrassing Texas".[68] On April 7, roughly a month after the first non-evacuee case of COVID-19 was confirmed in Texas,[10] Patrick created a task force to plan out the recovery of the Texas economy should businesses and industries reopen.[69] Two days later, Abbott stated that his administration was "working on very aggressive strategies to make sure Texas [was] first at getting back to work."[70] On April 17, Abbott began the process of reopening the Texas economy,[71] establishing the Strike Force To Open Texas in an executive order to "study and make recommendations... for revitalizing the Texas economy".[52][72] The team includes state leaders, medical experts, and a business advisory group; all consulting members were members of the Republican Party.[73][74] Abbott issued two additional executive orders relaxing COVID-19 restrictions: executive order GA-15 permitted licensed health care professionals and facilities to carry out elective medical procedures if they did not interfere with capacity provisioned for COVID-19, while executive order GA-16 allowed retail stores to deliver goods to customers beginning on April 24 as part of a "Retail-To-Go" model.[52][75][76] State parks were also ordered to reopen with COVID-19 regulations on April 20.[52]

Abbott announced a phased approach to reopening the Texas economy on April 27, with the state entering Phase I of the plan on May 1.[77] The first phase permitted the operation of retail establishments, restaurants, movie theaters, shopping malls, libraries and museums at 25 percent occupancy and with health protocols in place; these relaxed restrictions superseded all local orders.[78][79] Businesses in counties with five or fewer cases of COVID-19 were allowed to operate with increased occupancy once Phase I went into effect.[80] The de facto statewide stay-at-home order issued on March 19 was allowed to expire on April 30.[81] Following intraparty pressure, Abbott authorized the reopening of hair salons and pools on May 5.[82] Abbott announced the initiation of Phase II of the reopening plan on May 18, under which child care centers, massage and personal-care centers, and youth clubs were allowed to open promptly. The phase also allowed bars and office building tenants to begin operating with limited occupancy in addition to raising the restaurant occupancy cap to 50 percent. Other types of businesses were given staggered opening dates out to May 31 under Phase II.[83] Phase III of the reopening was rolled out on June 3, permitting the immediate increase of all business operation to 50 percent capacity. The phase also provided a timetable for amusement parks, carnivals, and restaurants to begin increasing their capacity further out to June 18.[84] Abbott announced on June 18 that Texas public schools would be opening for fall 2020.[85] On June 25, Abbott enacted a "temporary pause" on the reopening of the state's economy following record increases in COVID-19 cases.[86][87] The next day, Abbott issued an executive order closing bars and rafting/tubing businesses, representing the first rollbacks on the reopening plan.[88]

On April 25, polling from the University of Texas and the Texas Tribune found that 56 percent of voters surveyed approved of Abbott's response to the pandemic, including 56 percent of Republicans and 30 percent of Democrats.[89][90] Positive approval of Abbott's response to the pandemic was also found by a Dallas Morning News/University of Texas at Tyler poll, with registered voters approving by a roughly 3-to-1 margin.[91] A survey conducted by the Texas Restaurant Association and released on May 2 found that 47 percent of the 401 responding restaurants stated they would not reopen despite authorization under Phase I of Abbott's reopening plan; 43 percent intended to open while the remaining 9 percent were unsure.[92] A Quinnipiac University poll of registered voters released on June 3 found that 49 percent approved of Abbott's handling of stay-home restrictions while 38 percent believed Abbott moved "too fast" with the reopening.[93] A survey of 1,212 registered voters in Texas conducted by YouGov and sponsored by CBS News between July 7–10 found that 61 percent of respondents believed the state moved "too quickly" in "reopening the economy and lifting stay-at-home restrictions".[94]

Reactions to the initial efforts to reopen Texas businesses were fraught with partisan divides,[95][96] with the overall reaction described as "mixed" by several news agencies.[97][98][99][100] Nine members of the Texas Freedom Caucus in the Texas House of Representatives sent a letter to Abbott on April 14 pressing for business restrictions to be loosened "to the greatest extent possible."[101] Following the first announcement of reopenings on April 17, Texas Representative Chris Turner, the leader of the Texas House Democratic Caucus, said that Texas needed to have "widespread testing available" before reopening businesses.[102] Many public health experts lauded the phased approach but iterated the need for increased testing in the state. Others opined that the reopening commenced before adequate steps were taken to reduce the spread of the disease.[98][103] As the reopening plan progressed, Republican legislators pressured Abbott to open additional business sectors and accelerate the reopening process while Democratic legislators criticized the governor for the rapid pace of reopening.[104][105] The lack of consistent policy at the state and local level during the reopening and Abbott's decision to quash criminal penalties for violations also drew criticism. The Texas District and County Attorneys Association stated that there was "little incentive to put your own necks on the line to enforce an order that could be invalidated the next day" in guidance to state prosecutors.[106] After the reopening's pause and subsequent roll back, some attributed the concurrent rise in cases to the reopening.[107] Hidalgo stated that the reopening occurred "too quickly" and that other communities seeking to reopen would need to heed the spike in cases as "a word of warning".[95] Abbott stated in an interview with KVIA-TV in El Paso that "If I could go back and redo anything, it would probably would have been to slow down to opening bars, now seeing in the aftermath of how quickly the coronavirus spread in the bar setting."[108]

June–July 2020 restrictions edit

At a news conference on May 5, Abbott indicated that his administration was emphasizing the state's COVID-19 positivity rate to evaluate the reopening of Texas businesses that formally began on May 1.[77][109] Abbott considered a positivity rate exceeding 10 percent as a "red flag". In mid-April, the number of new cases began to stabilize and the 7-day average positivity rate fell below 10 percent. When Abbott announced the reopening plan on April 27, the positive rate was 4.6 percent, while number of active cases, active infection spread among population, was growing, meaning the chance of infection was increasing. As a result, the number of new cases began to rise in early May.[109] On June 24, the seven-day average positive rate rose above 10 percent for the first time since mid-April.[110] Entering mid-June, restaurants were allowed to operate at increased capacity and most businesses were opened under Phase III of the state's reopening plan. Following a pronounced outbreak of COVID-19 in the state (with the weekly average of new cases increasing by 79 percent) and a large increase in hospitalizations, Abbott paused the reopening process on June 25.[111][88] On June 26, bars were ordered to shut down and restaurants were ordered to lower their maximum operating capacity to 50 percent in what The Texas Tribune called Abbott's "most drastic action yet to respond to the post-reopening coronavirus surge in Texas". River-rafting businesses were also ordered to close and outdoor gatherings of more than 100 people without local government approval were banned.[112] The mandated closures made Texas the first U.S. state to reinstate restrictions and closures after reopening.[113]

Only on July 2, Abbott announced some small measures in an executive order effective the afternoon of July 3 requiring local government approval of gatherings of 10 or more people. In counties with at least 20 confirmed cases, the order mandated masks in enclosed public spaces and when social distancing was not feasible (subject to fines of up to $250 for multiple infractions).[114] The Texas Medical Association supported the mask mandate. However, the governor was chided by Democrats for being too slow to react to the resurgence in cases and by Republicans for overstepping his remit and infringing on personal freedoms.[115][116] Texas Democratic Party spokesman Abhi Rahman released a statement saying that the order was "far too little, far too late," and criticized Abbot for "[leading] from behind."[117] Republican State Representative Jonathan Stickland tweeted "[Abbott] thinks he is KING!"[116] Six county Republican parties formally censured Abbott for his use of executive power in responding to the pandemic, including in Montgomery and Denton Counties.[118] Some local law enforcement agencies chose not to enforce the mandate.[119]

On September 17, 2020, Governor Abbott announced that businesses could expand to 75% capacity.[120]

March 2021 lifting of restrictions edit

On March 2, 2021 (Texas Independence Day), Abbott announced that the state would rescind nearly all COVID-19-related health orders state-wide effective March 10 via executive order.[121] Businesses are no longer mandated to limit their capacity, the mask mandate expired, and no jurisdiction may enforce a penalty of any kind for not wearing masks in public.[121] Counties could reinstate capacity limits on businesses if COVID hospitalizations account for more than 15 percent of their local bed capacity for at least seven days, but businesses could not be restricted to any capacity below 50 percent, and enforcement of mask mandates remained prohibited.[122][123]

Abbott argued that since Texans had "mastered the daily habits to avoid getting COVID", the state no longer required enforceable health orders to be followed by residents and businesses, and that "too many Texans have been sidelined from employment opportunities. Too many small business owners have struggled to pay their bills. This must end. It is now time to open Texas 100%." However, the Governor still noted that the decision "does not end personal responsibility and caring for your family members, friends and others in your community."[122]

Reaction to the announcement was mixed, with local and national government and health officials warning that the decision to ease all restrictions was premature,[124] and criticism towards the inability for local leaders to enforce health orders.[125][126] President Joe Biden criticized the move and a similar decision announced the same day by Mississippi, arguing that "the last thing we need is the Neanderthal thinking that in the meantime, everything's fine, take off your mask, forget it. It still matters."[124][127] Governor Abbott responded to the comment, arguing that it was inappropriate for a president, and accusing Biden of importing COVID-19 cases into the state and others via immigrants by not testing them at the border.[128]

Executive orders against the implementation of COVID-19 public health measures edit

On March 10, 2021, the Texas Attorney General threatened to sue the city of Austin for violating the executive order by declaring an intent to continue enforcing the previous "Phase 4" guidelines and mask mandate, and issued a 6:00 p.m. deadline.[129][121] The city challenged the legal threat, arguing that masks were effective, and that the mask mandate was issued by the Travis County public health authority and not by a jurisdiction.[121] The suit was filed the next day.[130] On March 26, District Judge Lora Livingston blocked a request by the AG for a temporary injunction, thus allowing the mandate to remain in force.[131][132]

In April 2021, Governor Abbott signed an executive order prohibiting state agencies and publicly-funded organizations from creating "vaccine passports" or requiring proof of vaccination with products administered pursuant to Emergency Use Authorization (EUA), as a condition of service. Abbott stated no resident should be required to "reveal private health information just to go about their daily lives", and that the COVID-19 vaccine will always be voluntary and "never forced" in the state of Texas.[133] On June 7, Governor Abbott signed Senate Bill 968, which strictly prohibits all businesses from requesting proof of vaccination as a condition of service. State agencies (such as the Texas Alcoholic Beverage Commission) have the power to enforce SB968 via the revocation of licensing and permits.[134][135]

On July 29, amid rising cases due to Delta variant, Galveston County meeting the 15% benchmark for hospitalizations that authorized reinstating restrictions, and multiple counties approaching it, Abbott signed an executive order prohibiting any county from restricting the capacity of businesses, regardless of hospital capacity. The order once again emphasized that public health measures were the "personal responsibility" of residents, and asserted that vaccines "are the most effective defense against the virus", and will always be voluntary and never forced in the state of Texas.[123] In late-August 2021, after the FDA approval of the Pfizer vaccine, Governor Abbott amended the earlier executive order to cover any COVID-19 vaccine, even if approved by the FDA.[136]

On October 11, amid the upcoming implementation of OSHA regulations that mandate the vaccination of large workforces for COVID-19, Governor Abbott signed an executive order that prohibits any party from mandating the vaccination of their customers or employees. Abbott once again asserted that the COVID-19 vaccine will always be voluntary in the state of Texas, and accused the federal government of engaging in overreach to "[bully] many private entities into imposing COVID-19 vaccine mandates, causing workforce disruptions that threaten Texas's continued recovery from the COVID-19 disaster."[137] The executive order may conflict with the Supremacy Clause.[138]

In January 2022, the Democrat-controlled Third Court of Appeals upheld a mask mandate enforced by Harris County, ruling that "the Governor does not possess absolute authority under the Texas Disaster Act to preempt orders issued by local governmental entities or officials that contradict his executive orders". The ruling is expected to be appealed in the Texas Supreme Court.[139][140][141]

Testing edit

As of July 11, 2020, 2.7 million COVID-19 tests have been reported by the DSHS; of these, 2.49 million were viral tests while 217,000 were antibody tests. The total number of tests passed 100,000 on April 9 and passed 1 million on May 28, 2020.[142] In mid-February, the DSHS provided outlines of coronavirus patient protocols to medical facilities statewide. Possible cases were to be reported to local health departments, with potential viral samples to be sent to the CDC in Atlanta.[143] The agency also prepared laboratories to test for the virus within Texas using kits provided by the CDC.[144][145]

The DSHS and TDEM initiated bi-weekly emergency planning meetings with other state agencies after February 27.[144] A laboratory at Texas Tech University in Lubbock became the first laboratory to test for SARS-CoV-2 in Texas.[146] By March 5, six of the ten health labs comprising the state Laboratory Response Network were ready for COVID-19 testing.[147] The Texas National Guard began supporting testing efforts on March 27.[148]

Vaccination efforts edit

Large-scale vaccination sites, referred to as "vaccination hubs", were established throughout the state beginning in January 2021.[149] As of January 16, 2021, the original number of vaccination hubs was increased from 28 to 79,[150] and on January 14, 2021 Texas became the first state to administer one million doses of the COVID-19 vaccination.[151] As of January 27, 2021, more than two million doses have been administered.[151] By February 2021 more than six hundred providers, including public health departments, vaccination hubs and retail pharmacies,[152] were administering first doses of the vaccines, reaching an allotment rate of approximately 400,000 doses per week.[153] On February 4, 2021, the DSHS reported that almost three million doses of the COVID-19 vaccine were given to Texas residents. Over two million Texans had received one dose of the vaccine and 620,000 Texans had been fully vaccinated with both the first and second doses.[154]

The vaccine rollout in Texas has faced numerous challenges, including uncertainties in record keeping, prioritization of the order in which groups were deemed eligible to receive the vaccine, and the availability of second doses for those who had already received the first dose.[155][156] As of January 18, 2021, vaccination providers who had received first dose allotments were not automatically being shipped equal quantities of second dose allotments. Instead, the providers were required to request allocations of the second dose through the state government allocation system.[157] A major and catastrophic February winter storm brought record low temperatures, which led to power, food and water outages throughout the state,[158] disrupting hundreds of thousands of COVID-19 vaccine deliveries and appointments.[159][160]

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November 26, 2023
texas, government, response, covid, pandemic, government, texas, initial, response, covid, pandemic, state, consisted, decentralized, system, that, mostly, reliant, local, policies, pandemic, progressed, texas, throughout, rest, country, texas, government, clo. The government of Texas s initial response to the COVID 19 pandemic in the state consisted of a decentralized system that was mostly reliant on local policies As the pandemic progressed in Texas and throughout the rest of the country the Texas government closed down several businesses and parks and it eventually imposed a statewide stay at home order in late May Then between May and June 2020 the state government initiated a phased reopening which was viewed as controversial The reopening was phased back in June and July 2020 following a new surge of COVID 19 cases in the state In March 2021 as COVID 19 vaccines began to be administered throughout the U S the Texas government reopened the state again Map of the outbreak in Texas by confirmed new infections per 100 000 people over 14 days last updated March 2021 1 000 500 1 000 200 500 100 200 50 100 20 50 10 20 0 10 No confirmed new cases or no bad dataMap of the outbreak in Texas by confirmed total infections per 100 000 people last updated March 2021 10 000 3 000 10 000 1 000 3 000 300 1 000 100 300 30 100 0 30 No confirmed infected or no data Contents 1 Background 2 Timeline 2 1 Initial actions and first lockdown 2 2 Initial reopening efforts 2 3 June July 2020 restrictions 2 4 March 2021 lifting of restrictions 2 4 1 Executive orders against the implementation of COVID 19 public health measures 3 Testing 4 Vaccination efforts 5 ReferencesBackground editSee also Timeline of the COVID 19 pandemic in Texas and Timeline of the COVID 19 pandemic in the United States On December 31 2019 China reported a cluster of pneumonia cases in its city of Wuhan On January 7 2020 the Chinese health authorities confirmed that this cluster was caused by a novel infectious coronavirus 1 On January 8 the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention CDC issued an official health advisory via its Health Alert Network HAN and established an Incident Management Structure to coordinate domestic and international public health actions 2 On January 10 and 11 the World Health Organization WHO warned about a strong possibility of human to human transmission and urged precautions 3 On January 20 the WHO and China confirmed that human to human transmission had occurred 4 The initial origin of community spread in Texas remains unclear but numerous anecdotal accounts by those later confirmed have included onset dates as early as December 28 in Point Venture and retrospective analyses have found unexplained statistical increases in deaths during this time 5 6 7 Testing capacity across the state remained extremely limited until after the first recorded cases were announced 5 Research from Austin Public Health conducted in May found 68 COVID 19 patients in Central Texas who began reporting symptoms dating back to around the beginning of March 8 On March 2 San Antonio Mayor Nirenberg issued a public health emergency after an individual positive for the virus is mistakenly released from quarantine at JBSA Lackland 9 Two days later the DSHS reports a presumptive positive test result for COVID 19 from a resident of Fort Bend County in the Houston area A man in his 70s he is the first known positive case of the disease in Texas outside of those evacuated from Wuhan and the Diamond Princess cruise ship 10 The patient had recently traveled to Egypt and was hospitalized 11 Timeline editInitial actions and first lockdown edit nbsp The Texas National Guard was deployed to aid in COVID 19 testing and prevention effortsIn March 2020 The Texas Tribune described the state s pandemic response as a patchwork system characterized by its decentralized nature and reliance on locally enacted policies 12 The following month WalletHub ranked the Texas as one of the 10 least aggressive states for limiting COVID 19 exposure based on policy decisions risk factors and infrastructure 13 The Texas Department of State Health Services DSHS activated a virtual State Medical Operations Center SMOC in January 2020 to coordinate data collection and activities between the state and local agencies The department and local health departments also began assessing recent travelers to Hubei Province in China with respiratory ailments for possible testing for SARS CoV 2 encouraging individuals to contact their health care provider if they develop fever cough or shortness of breath within 14 days of being in Hubei The Texas Division of Emergency Management TDEM was tasked with logistical coordination on health supplies with local groups A briefing was held by Abbott on January 27 concerning the COVID 19 outbreak HHS Commissioner Courtney Philips DSHS Health Services Commissioner John William Hellerstedt and TDEM Chief Nim Kidd delivered the briefing 14 On January 30 Abbott joined other state governors in a conference call with U S Department of Health and Human Services Secretary Alex Azar CDC Director Robert Redfield National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases Director Anthony Fauci and other health officials to discuss disease mitigation and prevention strategies 15 State officials from emergency management health services law enforcement public schools and universities also met the same morning to outline logistics and coronavirus information 16 A state of disaster was declared by Abbott for all counties in Texas on March 13 giving emergency powers to Abbott and his administration to order lockdowns 17 18 Throughout March the state waived various healthcare and economic regulations 19 These included waived trucking and licensing regulations for drivers alcohol delivery from bars and restaurants and Medicaid regulations 18 20 21 22 Abbott and the Texas Department of Insurance TDI requested health insurers and health maintenance organizations to waive pandemic related costs for patients on March 5 23 The Texas Supreme Court ruled to suspend most eviction proceedings by at least a month on March 19 24 Several regulations were waived to increase the state s medical workforce 25 26 27 inactive and retired nurses were allowed to reactivate their licenses and temporary licensing was expedited for out of state medical professionals 28 29 Local governments were authorized to delay local elections for 2020 30 The federal government supplied 628 8 million in public assistance grants to Texas through FEMA following a federal disaster declaration on March 25 31 Additional federal funding was also distributed through the CARES Act Small Business Administration 32 33 On March 19 Abbott ordered the temporary prohibition of dining at bars and restaurants and the closure of gyms effective beginning the following day in a series of executive orders Social gatherings involving more than 10 people were also prohibited 34 35 Two days later hospitals were allowed to have more than one patient per room and elective or non essential medical procedures were ordered suspended 36 A legal dispute emerged after Attorney General Ken Paxton confirmed that most abortions were included in the suspension 37 38 39 The United States District Court for the Western District of Texas blocked the abortion ban on March 30 which was overturned by the United States Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit on March 31 40 41 A three judge panel on the Fifth Circuit reaffirmed the ban on April 10 42 Texas became the 21st state to activate its National Guard on March 17 43 The state mandated 14 day quarantines for travelers arriving from pandemic hotspots in the U S beginning on March 26 until all travel restrictions were lifted on May 21 44 45 Abbott initially decided against statewide shelter in place or stay at home orders due to the fact that more than 200 counties did not have any cases in mid March 46 47 However Abbott issued a de facto stay at home order on March 31 directing all Texans to remain at home unless conducting essential activities and services and to minimize social gatherings and minimize in person contact with people who are not in the same household The order exempted places of worship as essential services subject to social distancing but Abbott still recommended that remote services be conducted instead Abbott specifically avoided use of the terms stay at home order or shelter in place to describe the order arguing that they were either misnomers shelter in place usually referred to emergency situations or did not adequately reflect the goal of the order 48 49 Texas Historical Commission historical sites and state parks were closed beginning at 5 p m April 7 50 51 remaining closed until an executive order reopened them on April 20 52 53 The state government continued to relax regulations regarding medical protocols through April Pharmacy technicians were authorized to accept over the phone prescription drug orders beginning on April 7 and telehealth services were authorized across a broad range of telecommunication media 54 55 Local emergency medical service providers were allowed to utilize qualified individuals without formal certification 56 Similar training requirements were waived for other medical fields 57 58 On May 20 The Governor Lieutenant Governor and Speaker of the House released a letter detailing a plan to reduce the budget of many state agencies by 5 percent as part of the state s preparation for COVID 19 s economic impact 59 60 Initial reopening efforts edit nbsp Governor Greg Abbott met with U S President Donald Trump in the Oval Office on May 7 to discuss the pandemic Between May and June 2020 the Texas state government began loosening restrictions on businesses and activities in a series of phases amid the pandemic allowing businesses to reopen and operate with increasing capacity 61 Texas was one of the first states to publicize a timetable for lifting restrictions and the underlying plan was one of the most expansive in the country for reopening businesses 62 63 It began with Phase I on May 1 and continued through Phase III on June 3 Abbott suspended the reopening process on June 25 following a rapid increase of COVID 19 cases 113 days after the first case was confirmed in Texas 61 On March 23 Lieutenant Governor Dan Patrick made controversial statements on the Fox News show Tucker Carlson Tonight saying that as a senior citizen he was willing to take a chance on his survival in exchange for keeping the America that all America loves for his children and grandchildren later suggesting that grandparents in the country would do the same and advocating that the U S get back to work 64 65 As Patrick appeared to insinuate lives were worth sacrificing for the health of the economy his comments drew criticism on Twitter where the hashtag NotDying4WallStreet trended 66 New York Governor Andrew Cuomo commented on Twitter that no one should be talking about social darwinism for the sake of the stock market 67 The editorial board of the Fort Worth Star Telegram characterized Patrick s comments as morbid and a recipe for embarrassing Texas 68 On April 7 roughly a month after the first non evacuee case of COVID 19 was confirmed in Texas 10 Patrick created a task force to plan out the recovery of the Texas economy should businesses and industries reopen 69 Two days later Abbott stated that his administration was working on very aggressive strategies to make sure Texas was first at getting back to work 70 On April 17 Abbott began the process of reopening the Texas economy 71 establishing the Strike Force To Open Texas in an executive order to study and make recommendations for revitalizing the Texas economy 52 72 The team includes state leaders medical experts and a business advisory group all consulting members were members of the Republican Party 73 74 Abbott issued two additional executive orders relaxing COVID 19 restrictions executive order GA 15 permitted licensed health care professionals and facilities to carry out elective medical procedures if they did not interfere with capacity provisioned for COVID 19 while executive order GA 16 allowed retail stores to deliver goods to customers beginning on April 24 as part of a Retail To Go model 52 75 76 State parks were also ordered to reopen with COVID 19 regulations on April 20 52 Abbott announced a phased approach to reopening the Texas economy on April 27 with the state entering Phase I of the plan on May 1 77 The first phase permitted the operation of retail establishments restaurants movie theaters shopping malls libraries and museums at 25 percent occupancy and with health protocols in place these relaxed restrictions superseded all local orders 78 79 Businesses in counties with five or fewer cases of COVID 19 were allowed to operate with increased occupancy once Phase I went into effect 80 The de facto statewide stay at home order issued on March 19 was allowed to expire on April 30 81 Following intraparty pressure Abbott authorized the reopening of hair salons and pools on May 5 82 Abbott announced the initiation of Phase II of the reopening plan on May 18 under which child care centers massage and personal care centers and youth clubs were allowed to open promptly The phase also allowed bars and office building tenants to begin operating with limited occupancy in addition to raising the restaurant occupancy cap to 50 percent Other types of businesses were given staggered opening dates out to May 31 under Phase II 83 Phase III of the reopening was rolled out on June 3 permitting the immediate increase of all business operation to 50 percent capacity The phase also provided a timetable for amusement parks carnivals and restaurants to begin increasing their capacity further out to June 18 84 Abbott announced on June 18 that Texas public schools would be opening for fall 2020 85 On June 25 Abbott enacted a temporary pause on the reopening of the state s economy following record increases in COVID 19 cases 86 87 The next day Abbott issued an executive order closing bars and rafting tubing businesses representing the first rollbacks on the reopening plan 88 On April 25 polling from the University of Texas and the Texas Tribune found that 56 percent of voters surveyed approved of Abbott s response to the pandemic including 56 percent of Republicans and 30 percent of Democrats 89 90 Positive approval of Abbott s response to the pandemic was also found by a Dallas Morning News University of Texas at Tyler poll with registered voters approving by a roughly 3 to 1 margin 91 A survey conducted by the Texas Restaurant Association and released on May 2 found that 47 percent of the 401 responding restaurants stated they would not reopen despite authorization under Phase I of Abbott s reopening plan 43 percent intended to open while the remaining 9 percent were unsure 92 A Quinnipiac University poll of registered voters released on June 3 found that 49 percent approved of Abbott s handling of stay home restrictions while 38 percent believed Abbott moved too fast with the reopening 93 A survey of 1 212 registered voters in Texas conducted by YouGov and sponsored by CBS News between July 7 10 found that 61 percent of respondents believed the state moved too quickly in reopening the economy and lifting stay at home restrictions 94 Reactions to the initial efforts to reopen Texas businesses were fraught with partisan divides 95 96 with the overall reaction described as mixed by several news agencies 97 98 99 100 Nine members of the Texas Freedom Caucus in the Texas House of Representatives sent a letter to Abbott on April 14 pressing for business restrictions to be loosened to the greatest extent possible 101 Following the first announcement of reopenings on April 17 Texas Representative Chris Turner the leader of the Texas House Democratic Caucus said that Texas needed to have widespread testing available before reopening businesses 102 Many public health experts lauded the phased approach but iterated the need for increased testing in the state Others opined that the reopening commenced before adequate steps were taken to reduce the spread of the disease 98 103 As the reopening plan progressed Republican legislators pressured Abbott to open additional business sectors and accelerate the reopening process while Democratic legislators criticized the governor for the rapid pace of reopening 104 105 The lack of consistent policy at the state and local level during the reopening and Abbott s decision to quash criminal penalties for violations also drew criticism The Texas District and County Attorneys Association stated that there was little incentive to put your own necks on the line to enforce an order that could be invalidated the next day in guidance to state prosecutors 106 After the reopening s pause and subsequent roll back some attributed the concurrent rise in cases to the reopening 107 Hidalgo stated that the reopening occurred too quickly and that other communities seeking to reopen would need to heed the spike in cases as a word of warning 95 Abbott stated in an interview with KVIA TV in El Paso that If I could go back and redo anything it would probably would have been to slow down to opening bars now seeing in the aftermath of how quickly the coronavirus spread in the bar setting 108 June July 2020 restrictions edit At a news conference on May 5 Abbott indicated that his administration was emphasizing the state s COVID 19 positivity rate to evaluate the reopening of Texas businesses that formally began on May 1 77 109 Abbott considered a positivity rate exceeding 10 percent as a red flag In mid April the number of new cases began to stabilize and the 7 day average positivity rate fell below 10 percent When Abbott announced the reopening plan on April 27 the positive rate was 4 6 percent while number of active cases active infection spread among population was growing meaning the chance of infection was increasing As a result the number of new cases began to rise in early May 109 On June 24 the seven day average positive rate rose above 10 percent for the first time since mid April 110 Entering mid June restaurants were allowed to operate at increased capacity and most businesses were opened under Phase III of the state s reopening plan Following a pronounced outbreak of COVID 19 in the state with the weekly average of new cases increasing by 79 percent and a large increase in hospitalizations Abbott paused the reopening process on June 25 111 88 On June 26 bars were ordered to shut down and restaurants were ordered to lower their maximum operating capacity to 50 percent in what The Texas Tribune called Abbott s most drastic action yet to respond to the post reopening coronavirus surge in Texas River rafting businesses were also ordered to close and outdoor gatherings of more than 100 people without local government approval were banned 112 The mandated closures made Texas the first U S state to reinstate restrictions and closures after reopening 113 Only on July 2 Abbott announced some small measures in an executive order effective the afternoon of July 3 requiring local government approval of gatherings of 10 or more people In counties with at least 20 confirmed cases the order mandated masks in enclosed public spaces and when social distancing was not feasible subject to fines of up to 250 for multiple infractions 114 The Texas Medical Association supported the mask mandate However the governor was chided by Democrats for being too slow to react to the resurgence in cases and by Republicans for overstepping his remit and infringing on personal freedoms 115 116 Texas Democratic Party spokesman Abhi Rahman released a statement saying that the order was far too little far too late and criticized Abbot for leading from behind 117 Republican State Representative Jonathan Stickland tweeted Abbott thinks he is KING 116 Six county Republican parties formally censured Abbott for his use of executive power in responding to the pandemic including in Montgomery and Denton Counties 118 Some local law enforcement agencies chose not to enforce the mandate 119 On September 17 2020 Governor Abbott announced that businesses could expand to 75 capacity 120 March 2021 lifting of restrictions edit On March 2 2021 Texas Independence Day Abbott announced that the state would rescind nearly all COVID 19 related health orders state wide effective March 10 via executive order 121 Businesses are no longer mandated to limit their capacity the mask mandate expired and no jurisdiction may enforce a penalty of any kind for not wearing masks in public 121 Counties could reinstate capacity limits on businesses if COVID hospitalizations account for more than 15 percent of their local bed capacity for at least seven days but businesses could not be restricted to any capacity below 50 percent and enforcement of mask mandates remained prohibited 122 123 Abbott argued that since Texans had mastered the daily habits to avoid getting COVID the state no longer required enforceable health orders to be followed by residents and businesses and that too many Texans have been sidelined from employment opportunities Too many small business owners have struggled to pay their bills This must end It is now time to open Texas 100 However the Governor still noted that the decision does not end personal responsibility and caring for your family members friends and others in your community 122 Reaction to the announcement was mixed with local and national government and health officials warning that the decision to ease all restrictions was premature 124 and criticism towards the inability for local leaders to enforce health orders 125 126 President Joe Biden criticized the move and a similar decision announced the same day by Mississippi arguing that the last thing we need is the Neanderthal thinking that in the meantime everything s fine take off your mask forget it It still matters 124 127 Governor Abbott responded to the comment arguing that it was inappropriate for a president and accusing Biden of importing COVID 19 cases into the state and others via immigrants by not testing them at the border 128 Executive orders against the implementation of COVID 19 public health measures edit On March 10 2021 the Texas Attorney General threatened to sue the city of Austin for violating the executive order by declaring an intent to continue enforcing the previous Phase 4 guidelines and mask mandate and issued a 6 00 p m deadline 129 121 The city challenged the legal threat arguing that masks were effective and that the mask mandate was issued by the Travis County public health authority and not by a jurisdiction 121 The suit was filed the next day 130 On March 26 District Judge Lora Livingston blocked a request by the AG for a temporary injunction thus allowing the mandate to remain in force 131 132 In April 2021 Governor Abbott signed an executive order prohibiting state agencies and publicly funded organizations from creating vaccine passports or requiring proof of vaccination with products administered pursuant to Emergency Use Authorization EUA as a condition of service Abbott stated no resident should be required to reveal private health information just to go about their daily lives and that the COVID 19 vaccine will always be voluntary and never forced in the state of Texas 133 On June 7 Governor Abbott signed Senate Bill 968 which strictly prohibits all businesses from requesting proof of vaccination as a condition of service State agencies such as the Texas Alcoholic Beverage Commission have the power to enforce SB968 via the revocation of licensing and permits 134 135 On July 29 amid rising cases due to Delta variant Galveston County meeting the 15 benchmark for hospitalizations that authorized reinstating restrictions and multiple counties approaching it Abbott signed an executive order prohibiting any county from restricting the capacity of businesses regardless of hospital capacity The order once again emphasized that public health measures were the personal responsibility of residents and asserted that vaccines are the most effective defense against the virus and will always be voluntary and never forced in the state of Texas 123 In late August 2021 after the FDA approval of the Pfizer vaccine Governor Abbott amended the earlier executive order to cover any COVID 19 vaccine even if approved by the FDA 136 On October 11 amid the upcoming implementation of OSHA regulations that mandate the vaccination of large workforces for COVID 19 Governor Abbott signed an executive order that prohibits any party from mandating the vaccination of their customers or employees Abbott once again asserted that the COVID 19 vaccine will always be voluntary in the state of Texas and accused the federal government of engaging in overreach to bully many private entities into imposing COVID 19 vaccine mandates causing workforce disruptions that threaten Texas s continued recovery from the COVID 19 disaster 137 The executive order may conflict with the Supremacy Clause 138 In January 2022 the Democrat controlled Third Court of Appeals upheld a mask mandate enforced by Harris County ruling that the Governor does not possess absolute authority under the Texas Disaster Act to preempt orders issued by local governmental entities or officials that contradict his executive orders The ruling is expected to be appealed in the Texas Supreme Court 139 140 141 Testing editAs of July 11 2020 update 2 7 million COVID 19 tests have been reported by the DSHS of these 2 49 million were viral tests while 217 000 were antibody tests The total number of tests passed 100 000 on April 9 and passed 1 million on May 28 2020 142 In mid February the DSHS provided outlines of coronavirus patient protocols to medical facilities statewide Possible cases were to be reported to local health departments with potential viral samples to be sent to the CDC in Atlanta 143 The agency also prepared laboratories to test for the virus within Texas using kits provided by the CDC 144 145 The DSHS and TDEM initiated bi weekly emergency planning meetings with other state agencies after February 27 144 A laboratory at Texas Tech University in Lubbock became the first laboratory to test for SARS CoV 2 in Texas 146 By March 5 six of the ten health labs comprising the state Laboratory Response Network were ready for COVID 19 testing 147 The Texas National Guard began supporting testing efforts on March 27 148 Vaccination efforts editLarge scale vaccination sites referred to as vaccination hubs were established throughout the state beginning in January 2021 149 As of January 16 2021 the original number of vaccination hubs was increased from 28 to 79 150 and on January 14 2021 Texas became the first state to administer one million doses of the COVID 19 vaccination 151 As of January 27 2021 more than two million doses have been administered 151 By February 2021 more than six hundred providers including public health departments vaccination hubs and retail pharmacies 152 were administering first doses of the vaccines reaching an allotment rate of approximately 400 000 doses per week 153 On February 4 2021 the DSHS reported that almost three million doses of the COVID 19 vaccine were given to Texas residents Over two million Texans had received one dose of the vaccine and 620 000 Texans had been fully vaccinated with both the first and second doses 154 The vaccine rollout in Texas has faced numerous challenges including uncertainties in record keeping prioritization of the order in which groups were deemed eligible to receive the vaccine and the availability of second doses for those who had already received the first dose 155 156 As of January 18 2021 vaccination providers who had received first dose allotments were not automatically being shipped equal quantities of second dose allotments Instead the providers were required to request allocations of the second dose through the state government allocation system 157 A major and catastrophic February winter storm brought record low temperatures which led to power food and water outages throughout the state 158 disrupting hundreds of thousands of COVID 19 vaccine deliveries and appointments 159 160 References edit Holshue Michelle L DeBolt Chas Lindquist Scott Lofy Kathy H Wiesman John Bruce Hollianne Spitters Christopher Ericson Keith Wilkerson Sara Tural Ahmet Diaz George Cohn Amanda Fox LeAnne Patel Anita Gerber Susan I Kim Lindsay Tong Suxiang Lu Xiaoyan Lindstrom Steve Pallansch Mark A Weldon William C Biggs Holly M Uyeki Timothy M Pillai Satish K March 5 2020 First Case of 2019 Novel Coronavirus in the United States New England Journal of Medicine 382 10 929 936 doi 10 1056 NEJMoa2001191 PMC 7092802 PMID 32004427 Outbreak of Pneumonia of Unknown Etiology PUE in Wuhan China Archived May 18 2020 at the Wayback Machine CDC January 8 2020 Beaumont Peter Borger Julian April 9 2020 WHO warned of transmission risk in January despite Trump claims The Guardian Archived from the original on July 3 2020 Retrieved April 17 2020 Kuo Lily January 21 2020 China confirms human to human transmission of coronavirus The Guardian Archived from the original on July 14 2020 Retrieved April 19 2020 a b Priest Jessica May 7 2020 Coronavirus in Texas Death data suggest COVID 19 undercount possible Austin American Statesman Archived from the original on June 7 2020 Retrieved July 5 2020 Maciborski Walt July 9 2020 Former UT football player believes he had COVID 19 in January CBS Austin Retrieved July 21 2020 Mulder Brandon May 7 2020 Exclusive Bastrop County judge contracted recovered from COVID 19 test shows Austin American Statesman Austin Texas Archived from the original on May 31 2020 Retrieved July 6 2020 Plohetski Tony May 16 2020 Coronavirus was here before we knew it Austin officials conclude Austin American Statesman Austin Texas Archived from the original on June 7 2020 Retrieved July 6 2020 Feuer Will March 2 2020 San Antonio declares emergency after CDC released a woman infected with coronavirus Totally unacceptable CNBC Archived from the original on June 8 2020 Retrieved July 6 2020 a b DSHS Announces First Case of COVID 19 in Texas Press release Texas Department of State Health Services March 4 2020 Archived from the original on June 2 2020 Retrieved July 5 2020 Walters Edgar March 4 2020 Texas man tests positive for coronavirus in Fort Bend County The Texas Tribune Archived from the original on July 1 2020 Retrieved July 6 2020 Collier Kiah Pollock Cassandra March 17 2020 While other states fighting coronavirus enforce widespread closures Texas Gov Greg Abbott goes with a patchwork system The Texas Tribune Retrieved July 11 2020 Vazquez Tom April 8 2020 Texas ranks in bottom 10 least aggressive states for limiting COVID 19 exposure website says KXAN Austin Texas Nexstar Broadcasting Retrieved July 11 2020 Governor Abbott Receives Briefing From State Health Officials On Coronavirus Press release Austin Texas Office of the Texas Governor January 27 2020 Retrieved July 5 2020 Governor Abbott Joins Secretary Alex Azar Federal Cabinet And Health Officials State Governors For Update On Coronavirus Press release Austin Texas Office of the Texas Governor January 30 2020 Retrieved July 5 2020 Fernandez Stacy January 30 2020 Texas officials on the coronavirus Keep calm and wash your hands The Texas Tribune Archived from the original on April 23 2020 Retrieved July 5 2020 Governor Abbott Holds Press Conference On Coronavirus Declares State Of Disaster For All Texas Counties Press release Austin Texas Office of the Texas Governor March 13 2020 Archived from the original on June 6 2020 Retrieved July 7 2020 a b Walters Edgar March 13 2020 Texas governor declares statewide emergency says state will soon be able to test thousands The Texas Tribune Archived from the original on March 13 2020 Retrieved July 6 2020 Samora Sara March 19 2020 Texas Gov Abbott waives regulations for alcohol delivery telemedicine more Houston Business Journal Houston Texas American City Business Journals Retrieved July 11 2020 Driver license expiration dates extended DL offices closed due to coronavirus KFOX14 Austin Texas March 19 2020 Retrieved July 11 2020 Falcon Russell March 18 2020 Texas restaurants bars can now deliver alcohol along with food purchases KXAN Austin Texas Nexstar Broadcasting Retrieved March 18 2020 Rapaport Wes March 31 2020 Gov Abbott issues social distancing order through April closes Texas schools until May 4 KXAN Austin Texas Nexstar Broadcasting Nexstar Retrieved July 11 2020 Governor Abbott TDI Ask Health Insurance Providers To Waive Costs Associated With Coronavirus Austin Texas Office of the Texas Governor March 10 2020 Retrieved July 10 2020 Coronavirus in Texas 3 19 Supreme Court halts evictions statewide The Texas Tribune March 19 2020 Archived from the original on June 3 2020 Retrieved July 6 2020 Coronavirus in Texas 3 21 At least 325 cases reported in state Gov Greg Abbott moves to bolster number of practicing nurses The Texas Tribune March 21 2020 Retrieved July 11 2020 Gov Abbott takes action to expand nursing workforce in Texas KHOU 11 Austin Texas KHOU TV March 21 2020 Retrieved July 11 2020 Gov Abbott Waiving Certain Licensing Regulations for Texas Pharmacy Workers Spectrum News Austin Texas Charter Communications March 28 2020 Archived from the original on April 4 2020 Retrieved July 6 2020 Knight Drew March 21 2020 Gov Abbott lowers regulations to expand nursing workforce during coronavirus pandemic KVUE Austin Texas KVUE TV Archived from the original on April 28 2020 Retrieved July 6 2020 Weinberg Tessa March 14 2020 Abbott fast tracks licensing for out of state medical professionals to combat coronavirus Fort Worth Star Telegram Austin Texas Retrieved March 14 2020 Morris Allie March 18 2020 Texas cities school districts can postpone local elections from May to November over coronavirus concerns The Dallas Morning News Austin Texas Archived from the original on May 24 2020 Retrieved July 6 2020 Texas Covid 19 Pandemic DR 4485 Federal Emergency Management Agency March 25 2020 Archived from the original on June 14 2020 Retrieved July 7 2020 Reid Lauren March 23 2020 Texas receives 36 9 million from CDC as part of allotment from emergency coronavirus bill FOX7Austin com Austin Texas FOX Television Stations Archived from the original on June 5 2020 Retrieved July 6 2020 Ferman Mitchell March 20 2020 Small businesses in Texas can apply for emergency federal loans to help ride out coronavirus pandemic Abbott announces The Texas Tribune Archived from the original on June 5 2020 Retrieved July 6 2020 Flores Rebecca March 19 2020 Texas governor Schools bars restaurant dining rooms must close temporarily due to coronavirus KVUE TV Austin Texas Tegna Inc Archived from the original on June 5 2020 Retrieved July 6 2020 Coronavirus In Texas Gov Abbott Imposes Statewide Restrictions For 2 Weeks No Gatherings Of 10 Or More CBSDFW com Austin Texas CBS Broadcasting March 19 2020 Gov Abbott issues orders to postpone non essential surgeries expand Texas hospital capacity amid warning about lack of beds KVIA com Austin Texas News Press amp Gazette Associated Press March 22 2020 Archived from the original on May 18 2020 Retrieved July 7 2020 Justin Raga March 23 2020 No abortions in Texas unless the mother s life is in danger Texas attorney general says as coronavirus spreads The Texas Tribune Archived from the original on June 4 2020 Retrieved July 7 2020 Justin Raga March 25 2020 Abortion providers sue Texas over coronavirus related order The Texas Tribune Archived from the original on April 17 2020 Retrieved July 7 2020 Tavernise Sabrina March 23 2020 Texas and Ohio Include Abortion as Medical Procedures That Must Be Delayed The New York Times Archived from the original on April 27 2020 Retrieved March 24 2020 Kelly Caroline de Vouge Ariane March 31 2020 Appeals court temporarily re instates Texas order limiting abortion access over coronavirus CNN Archived from the original on April 8 2020 Retrieved March 31 2020 Sparber Sami March 30 2020 Federal judge temporarily blocks Texas ban on abortions during coronavirus pandemic The Texas Tribune Archived from the original on June 5 2020 Retrieved July 7 2020 McCammon Sarah April 10 2020 Federal Appeals Court Reinstates Texas Abortion Ban Instituted During COVID 19 Crisis NPR Archived from the original on April 11 2020 Retrieved July 11 2020 Christenson Sig March 17 2020 Coronavirus threat prompts Abbott to activate Texas National Guard San Antonio Express News San Antonio Texas Retrieved July 6 2020 Svitek Patrick March 26 2020 Gov Greg Abbott orders air travelers from New Orleans and around New York to self quarantine The Texas Tribune Archived from the original on May 26 2020 Retrieved July 6 2020 Fernandez Stacy May 21 2020 Gov Greg Abbott lifts coronavirus restrictions for travelers from New York Georgia and other hot spots The Texas Tribune Retrieved July 7 2020 Svitek Patrick March 22 2020 Gov Greg Abbott resists calls for statewide shelter in place moves to expand hospital capacity The Texas Tribune Archived from the original on June 21 2020 Retrieved March 23 2020 Fine Julie March 22 2020 No Shelter in Place Order for Texas Gov Abbott Says KXAS TV Archived from the original on June 21 2020 Retrieved March 23 2020 Svitek Patrick March 31 2020 Gov Greg Abbott tells Texans to stay home except for essential activity in April The Texas Tribune Archived from the original on April 1 2020 Retrieved March 31 2020 Exec Order No GA 14 March 31 2020 Governor of Texas Retrieved on 2020 07 11 Texas State Parks Historic Sites Ordered Closed NBCDFW NBC Universal April 7 2020 Archived from the original on April 14 2020 Retrieved July 7 2020 Governor Abbott Announces Temporary Closure Of State Parks And Historic Sites Austin Texas Office of the Texas Governor April 7 2020 Retrieved July 17 2020 a b c d Governor Abbott Issues Executive Order Establishing Strike Force To Open Texas Press release Austin Texas Office of the Texas Governor April 17 2020 Retrieved July 8 2020 Gov Abbott s plan to reopen Texas begins with state parks as COVID 19 pandemic continues CBS Austin Austin Texas CBS Broadcasting April 20 2020 Retrieved July 17 2020 Governor Abbott Waives Certain Pharmacy Regulations To Increase Workforce Capabilities Austin Texas Office of the Texas Governor April 7 2020 Retrieved July 17 2020 Governor Abbott Waives Regulations Expands Telehealth Options Austin Texas Office of the Texas Governor April 9 2020 Retrieved July 17 2020 Coronavirus In Texas State Effort Underway To Increase Number Of EMS First Responders During Pandemic CBS DFW Austin Texas CBS Broadcasting April 2 2020 Retrieved July 17 2020 Gov Abbott waives more regulations to help healthcare workers join workforce KTRK Austin Texas ABC April 5 2020 Retrieved July 17 2020 Governor Abbott Temporarily Waives Certain Testing Requirements For Advanced Practice Registered Nurses Office of the Texas Governor April 22 2020 Retrieved July 17 2020 Abbott Greg Patrick Dan Bonnen Dennis May 20 2020 To State Agency Board Commission Chairs May 20 2020 Letter PDF State of Texas Archived PDF from the original on May 21 2020 Retrieved June 21 2020 Pollock Cassandra May 21 2020 Texas Gov Greg Abbott instructs state agencies to trim budgets by 5 to prepare for economic shock KRGV News Archived from the original on June 22 2020 Retrieved June 21 2020 a b Benito Marcelino June 25 2020 How d we get here Gov Abbott pauses Texas reopening plan as cases continue to soar KHOU Houston Texas KHOU TV Retrieved July 8 2020 Baker Peter Fernandez Manny Healy Jack April 27 2020 Reopening Plans Across U S Are Creating Confusing Patchwork The New York Times New York New York Retrieved July 8 2020 Is Texas the first state to roll out a timeline to begin reopening Click2Houston Houston Texas CNN April 18 2020 Retrieved July 8 2020 Livingston Abby March 23 2020 Texas Lt Gov Dan Patrick says a failing economy is worse than coronavirus The Texas Tribune Retrieved July 8 2020 Knodel Jamie March 24 2020 Texas Lt Gov Dan Patrick suggests he other seniors willing to die to get economy going again NBC News NBC Universal Retrieved July 8 2020 Duncan Charles March 24 2020 Backlash after Texas leader suggests older Americans risk coronavirus to save economy Fort Worth Star Telegram Fort Worth Texas Retrieved July 8 2020 Sonmez Felicia March 24 2020 Texas Lt Gov Dan Patrick comes under fire for saying seniors should take a chance on their own lives for sake of grandchildren during coronavirus crisis The Washington Post Washington D C Retrieved July 8 2020 What about younger sick people Dan Patrick Fox comments on coronavirus were morbid Fort Worth Star Telegram Fort Worth Texas March 23 2020 Retrieved July 8 2020 Kamath Tulsi April 7 2020 Texas Lt Gov Dan Patrick forms task force to restart economy after coronavirus Click2Houston Houston Texas Archived from the original on April 22 2020 Retrieved July 7 2020 Fink Jack April 9 2020 Coronavirus In Texas Governor Abbott Aggressive Strategies To Make Sure Texas Is First At Getting Back To Work CBSDFW com CBS Broadcasting Retrieved July 8 2020 Mitropoulos Arielle April 21 2020 Several states are beginning to lift COVID 19 restrictions despite concerns ABC News ABC News Internet Ventures Retrieved July 8 2020 Exec Order No GA 17 April 17 2020 Governor of Texas Retrieved on 2020 07 08 Svitek Patrick April 17 2020 Texas Gov Greg Abbott announces team to restart the economy loosens some restrictions The Texas Tribune Archived from the original on April 26 2020 Retrieved July 7 2020 Price Asher April 17 2020 Who s on Abbott s Strike Force to Open Texas Austin American Statesman Austin Texas Archived from the original on May 21 2020 Retrieved July 7 2020 Exec Order No GA 15 April 17 2020 Governor of Texas Retrieved on 2020 07 08 Exec Order No GA 16 April 17 2020 Governor of Texas Retrieved on 2020 07 08 a b Governor Abbott Announces Phase One To Open Texas Establishes Statewide Minimum Standard Health Protocols Press release Austin Texas Office of the Texas Governor April 27 2020 Retrieved July 8 2020 Exec Order No GA 18 April 17 2020 Governor of Texas Retrieved on 2020 07 08 Feuer Will April 27 2020 Texas to lift coronavirus restrictions this week businesses to reopen in phases CNBC Retrieved July 8 2020 Raysam Renuka April 27 2020 Texas to loosen restrictions on malls movie theaters in staggered reopening Politico Austin Texas Retrieved July 8 2020 Svitek Patrick April 27 2020 Gov Greg Abbott to let restaurants movie theaters and malls open with limited capacity Friday The Texas Tribune Retrieved July 8 2020 Svitek Patrick May 5 2020 Gov Greg Abbott to allow Texas hair salons and pools to reopen Friday and gyms to open May 18 The Texas Tribune Retrieved July 8 2020 Governor Abbott Announces Phase Two To Open Texas Press release Office of the Texas Governor May 18 2020 Retrieved July 8 2020 Governor Abbott Announces Phase III To Open Texas Press release Austin Texas Office of the Texas Governor June 3 2020 Retrieved July 8 2020 Swaby Aliyya June 18 2020 Texas students will return to school campuses this fall Gov Greg Abbott tells lawmakers The Texas Tribune Retrieved July 8 2020 Wamsley Laurel June 25 2020 Texas Governor Hits Pause On Further Reopening Amid COVID 19 Surge NPR Retrieved July 8 2020 Governor Abbott Announces Temporary Pause Of Additional Reopening Phases Press release Austin Texas Office of the Texas Governor June 25 2020 Retrieved July 8 2020 a b Higgins Dunn Noah June 26 2020 Texas rolls back its reopening a day after pausing plans as coronavirus cases rise CNBC Retrieved July 8 2020 Ramsey Ross April 25 2020 Texas voters Gov Greg Abbott is doing better on the economy and coronavirus than President Donald Trump The Texas Tribune Retrieved July 8 2020 University of Texas Texas Tribune Poll Crosstabs PDF Report The Texas Tribune April 2020 Retrieved July 8 2020 Garrett Robert T May 2 2020 Texans wary of flying because of coronavirus cautious about in person shopping Dallas News UT Tyler poll shows The Dallas Morning News Austin Texas Retrieved July 8 2020 Aguirre Priscilla May 2 2020 Poll 47 of restaurants in Texas will not reopen Friday mySA San Antonio Texas Hearst Newspapers Retrieved May 2 2020 Gillman Todd J June 3 2020 New Texas poll shows virtual tie between Trump and Biden soft support for Cornyn The Dallas Morning News Washington D C Retrieved July 8 2020 de Pinto Jennifer Salvanto Anthony Backus Fred Khanna Bakir Cox Elena July 12 2020 Virus outbreak reshapes presidential race in Sun Belt CBS News Battleground Tracker poll CBS News CBS Interactive Retrieved July 13 2020 a b Dart Tom June 27 2020 We opened too quickly Texas becomes a model for inadequate Covid 19 response The Guardian Houston Texas Guardian News amp Media Retrieved July 8 2020 Miller Maggie Hellmann Jessie Manchester Julia May 1 2020 Texas set to reopen under political shadow The Hill Capitol Hill Publishing Retrieved July 8 2020 Duran Sarah April 29 2020 Mixed Feelings About Texas Shopping Malls Reopening Friday Spectrum News San Antonio Texas Charter Communications Retrieved July 8 2020 a b Platoff Emma April 29 2020 Health experts give Abbott s plan to reopen Texas mixed reviews warn state should revive stay at home order if surge emerges The Texas Tribune Retrieved July 8 2020 Jaspers Bret April 28 2020 Governor s Plan To Reopen Texas Generates Mixed Reactions KERA News Retrieved July 8 2020 Leroux Alex April 28 2020 Restaurant owners in East Texas mixed on reopening with limited capacity Friday KLTV Tyler Texas Retrieved April 28 2020 Tilove Jonathan April 17 2020 Abbott faces crosswinds as he prepares plan to reopen Texas Austin American Statesman Austin Texas Retrieved July 8 2020 Sims Vince April 17 2020 State Representative Says More Coronavirus Testing Is Needed Before Texas Opens Businesses NBCDFW Retrieved July 8 2020 de Leon Luis April 27 2020 Medical professionals politicians react to Gov Abbott s plan to gradually reopen Texas businesses KVUE Austin Texas KVUE TV Retrieved July 8 2020 Wallace Jeremy May 1 2020 Republicans pressure Gov Abbott to reopen the Texas economy faster Houston Chronicle Houston Texas Hearst Retrieved July 8 2020 Wallace Jeremy April 30 2020 Growing chorus of Democrats baffled by Gov Greg Abbott s plan to re open Texas Houston Chronicle Houston Texas Hearst Retrieved April 30 2020 Goldenstein Taylor Wallace Jeremy May 8 2020 Gov Abbott s latest order raises more enforcement questions as Texas businesses reopen Houston Chronicle Houston Texas Retrieved May 8 2020 Czachor Emily July 5 2020 Texas Florida Officials Say Their States Reopenings Contributed to COVID Spike Newsweek Retrieved July 5 2020 Svitek Patrick June 26 2020 Gov Greg Abbott expresses regret over reopening Texas bars during coronavirus The Texas Tribune Retrieved July 8 2020 a b Goudeau Ashley May 6 2020 Positivity rate Breaking down the metric Gov Abbott is using to reopen Texas KVUE Austin Texas KVUE TV Retrieved July 8 2020 Champagne Sarah R Najmabadi Shannon June 24 2020 Texas coronavirus positivity rate exceeds warning flag level Abbott set as businesses reopened The Texas Tribune Retrieved July 8 2020 McNamara Audrey June 25 2020 Texas halts reopening amid surge in coronavirus cases CBS News CBS Interactive Retrieved July 13 2020 Svitek Patrick June 26 2020 Gov Greg Abbott orders Texas bars to close again and restaurants to reduce to 50 occupancy as coronavirus spreads The Texas Tribune Retrieved July 13 2020 Linnane Ciara June 26 2020 Texas becomes the first state to reimpose restrictions after lifting stay at home order on April 30 MarketWatch Retrieved July 13 2020 Svitek Patrick July 2 2020 Gov Greg Abbott orders Texans in most counties to wear masks in public The Texas Tribune Archived from the original on July 3 2020 Retrieved July 2 2020 Jackson Matt July 13 2020 Gov Abbott Orders Face Masks in All Texas Counties With 20 Or More Cases of COVID 19 NBCDFW NBC Universal Associated Press Retrieved July 13 2020 a b Svitek Patrick July 2 2020 Gov Greg Abbott orders Texans in most counties to wear masks in public The Texas Tribune Retrieved July 8 2020 Weinberg Tessa July 2 2020 Abbott mandates face masks in most public spaces in Texas to curb COVID spread Fort Worth Star Telegram Fort Worth Texas Retrieved July 13 2020 Svitek Patrick Pollock Cassandra July 9 2020 County Republican parties in Texas GOP strongholds say Gov Greg Abbott going too far in coronavirus response The Texas Tribune Retrieved July 13 2020 Glynn Maggie July 6 2020 Mixed reactions to enforcing mask mandate across Texas among city officials amp law enforcement KXAN Austin Texas Nexstar Broadcasting Nexstar Retrieved July 6 2020 Svitek Patrick September 17 2020 Gov Greg Abbott loosens coronavirus restrictions for restaurants and other businesses in most regions of Texas The Texas Tribune Retrieved March 8 2021 a b c d Lindell Chuck You will lose again Ken Paxton gives Austin till 6 p m to lift local mask requirement Austin American Statesman Retrieved March 12 2021 a b Vera Amir March 2 2021 Texas governor lifts mask mandate and allows businesses to open at 100 capacity despite health officials warnings CNN Retrieved March 3 2021 a b Scherer Jasper July 29 2021 As delta variant spreads Abbott bans local COVID restrictions in areas with high hospitalization rates Houston Chronicle Retrieved August 24 2021 a b Covid Biden says Neanderthal thinking behind lifting of mask rules BBC News March 4 2021 Retrieved March 4 2021 Garnham Juan Pablo March 3 2021 Texas local officials blast Gov Greg Abbott for irresponsible action of lifting coronavirus restrictions The Texas Tribune Retrieved March 4 2021 Reaction Is Mixed To Texas Decision To Lift Coronavirus Restrictions NPR org Retrieved March 4 2021 Rascoe Ayesha March 3 2021 Neanderthal Thinking Biden Says Too Soon For States To Lift Mask Mandates NPR Retrieved March 8 2021 Higgins Dunn Noah March 4 2021 Texas Gov Abbott blames Covid spread on immigrants criticizes Biden s Neanderthal comment CNBC Retrieved March 8 2021 Williams Jordan March 10 2021 Texas AG looking into every avenue to stop Austin mask mandate TheHill Retrieved March 10 2021 Christina Maxouris Jason Hanna and Amir Vera March 11 2021 Texas attorney general files lawsuit against Austin leaders over mask requirement CNN Retrieved March 12 2021 Thebault Reis Who makes the mask rules Despite a Texas lawsuit the mandate survives in Austin The Washington Post ISSN 0190 8286 Retrieved April 5 2021 Oxner Reese March 26 2021 Austin and Travis County officials can keep enforcing local mask mandate for now judge says The Texas Tribune Retrieved April 5 2021 Governor Abbott Issues Executive Order Prohibiting Government Mandated Vaccine Passports gov texas gov Retrieved September 24 2021 Harper Karen Brooks June 7 2021 Gov Greg Abbott signs bill to punish businesses that require proof of COVID 19 vaccination The Texas Tribune Retrieved August 24 2021 Eltohamy Farah August 12 2021 Texas warns Austin restaurants that their liquor licenses could be revoked for requiring proof of COVID 19 vaccinations The Texas Tribune Retrieved August 24 2021 Governor Abbott Issues Executive Order 39 Prohibiting Vaccine Mandates In Texas gov texas gov Retrieved September 24 2021 Allen Rebekah October 11 2021 Texas Gov Greg Abbott bans any COVID 19 vaccine mandates including for private employers The Texas Tribune Retrieved October 12 2021 Levenson Eric October 13 2021 What will happen when Texas ban on Covid 19 vaccine mandates conflicts with the federal vaccine requirement CNN Retrieved October 20 2021 Schneider Andrew January 6 2022 Harris County can now impose mask mandates a state appeals court rules Houston Public Media Retrieved January 13 2022 Garcia Ariana January 6 2022 Texas appeals court upholds Harris County mask mandate halting Abbott ban Chron Retrieved January 13 2022 Lindell Chuck Ruling against Abbott Austin appeals court lets Harris County impose mask mandate Austin American Statesman Retrieved January 13 2022 Texas Case Counts COVID 19 Coronavirus Disease 2019 Tests and Hospitalizations Texas Department of State Health Services Retrieved July 10 2020 via ArcGIS Vandergriff Caroline February 12 2020 Another Case Of Coronavirus Confirmed In US Among China Evacuees Texas Preparing For Potential Cases CBSDFW com Dallas Texas CBS Broadcasting Retrieved July 5 2020 a b Governor Abbott Receives Briefing On Coronavirus Provides Update On Precautionary Measures In Texas Press release Austin Texas Office of the Texas Governor February 27 2020 Retrieved July 6 2020 Ackerman Todd Goldenstein Taylor February 27 2020 exas scrambles to prepare for coronavirus outbreak now moving into next phase Todd Ackerman and Taylor Goldenstein Houston Chronicle Houston Texas Hearst Retrieved July 6 2020 Cargile Erin March 2 2020 How prepared is Texas to test patients for COVID 19 KXAN Austin Texas Nexstar Broadcasting Retrieved July 6 2020 Governor Abbott DSHS Announce Statewide Testing Capabilities For Coronavirus Austin Texas Office of the Texas Governor March 5 2020 Retrieved July 10 2020 Wallace Jeremy March 27 2020 Gov Greg Abbott deploys Texas National Guard to help with mobile testing Houston Chronicle Houston Texas Hearst Archived from the original on April 3 2020 Retrieved July 6 2020 COVID 19 Vaccination Hub Providers dshs texas gov Retrieved January 29 2021 State Expands Number of Vaccine Hubs to 79 Including 15 in North Texas NBC 5 Dallas Fort Worth January 16 2021 Retrieved February 8 2021 a b Martinez Marissa January 14 2021 Texas becomes first state to administer 1 million doses of COVID 19 vaccine The Texas Tribune Retrieved January 29 2021 February 8 20201 Week 9 COVID Vaccine Allocation PDF Texas Department of State Health Services February 8 2021 Retrieved February 8 2021 Texas to get more than 400 000 first doses of COVID 19 vaccine in Week 9 of distribution KXAN Austin February 6 2021 Retrieved February 8 2021 Texas DSHS Says 2 75 Million Vaccines Administered 700K in the Last Week NBC 5 Dallas Fort Worth February 4 2021 Retrieved February 8 2021 Harper Karen Brooks Najmabadi Shannon January 20 2021 Texas has a problem with its COVID 19 vaccination data and the stakes are high Now the state is scrambling to solve it The Texas Tribune Retrieved February 8 2021 Agnew Duncan February 4 2021 Nearly a year into the pandemic grocery workers in Texas are more fatigued than ever as they await vaccine access The Texas Tribune Retrieved February 8 2021 Information for COVID 19 Vaccination Providers www dshs state tx us Retrieved February 8 2021 Wright Will Romero Simon Dobbins James Diaz Johnny February 19 2021 Texans Are on the Hunt for Food and Clean Water After Storm The New York Times ISSN 0362 4331 Retrieved February 20 2021 Harper Karen Brooks February 16 2021 Hundreds of thousands of COVID 19 vaccine deliveries injections delayed by winter storm The Texas Tribune Retrieved February 20 2021 Historic winter storm throws a wrench into COVID vaccine rollout in Texas Fortune Retrieved February 20 2021 Portals nbsp COVID 19 nbsp Medicine nbsp United States nbsp Viruses Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Texas government response to the COVID 19 pandemic amp oldid 1180106114, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,

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