Governor Abbott: 'Massive' amount of business reopening soon in Texas
AUSTIN, Texas (AP) - Gov. Greg Abbott says Texas will reopen "massive" amounts of businesses soon.
The Republican governor Wednesday teased an imminent return of hair salons and restaurant dining at a time when President Donald Trump is aiming for a swift nationwide reopening.
Abbott also signaled that large urban centers such as Dallas, where the coronavirus outbreak is more severe, would begin reopening under different rules than rural areas that have fewer cases.
Also on Wednesday, a federal appeals court put on hold a ruling that Texas must provide inmates at one prison with hand sanitizer, masks and unrestricted access to soap amid the coronavirus pandemic.
Governor defends testing levels as Texas begins reopening
Gov. Abbott is renewing his defense of coronavirus monitoring in Texas as he moved toward relaxing social restrictions before the end of April.
Texas which ranks near the bottom nationally in coronavirus testing throughout the crisis.
But Abbott said Tuesday that the White House has told him Texas will have adequate testing as the state begins slowly reopening.
Next Monday, Abbott intends to issue new statewide orders that will further loosen Texas' lockdown beyond the reopening of state parks and letting retailers sell items curbside, which take effect this week.
