COVID-19 pandemic in Texas
Notes: 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, 2019, in Point Venture, and retrospective analyses have found unexplained statistical increases in deaths during this time.
[9] Research from Austin Public Health conducted in May 2020 found 68 COVID-19 patients in Central Texas who began reporting symptoms dating back to around the beginning of March.
[12] On March 2, San Antonio Mayor Nirenberg issued a public health emergency after an individual positive for the virus was mistakenly released from quarantine at JBSA–Lackland.
[13] Two days later, the Texas Department of State Health Services (DSHS) reported a presumptive positive test result for COVID-19 from a resident of Fort Bend County in the Houston area.
[1] That same day, a resident in his 30s of Frisco, a suburb of Dallas in Collin County, received a presumptive positive test for the virus, having recently traveled to Silicon Valley in California.
[42][43] Abbott issued four executive orders to ban gatherings of more than 10 people; discourage eating and drinking at bars, food courts restaurants, and visiting gyms (and close bars and restaurant dining rooms); proscribe visitation of nursing homes, retirement centers, and long-term care facilities with exception of providing critical care; and temporarily close all Texas schools.
[44] On March 26, the cumulative number of confirmed cases in Texas exceeded 1,000,[1] and Abbott mandated visitors flying from Connecticut, New Jersey, New York, and New Orleans, Louisiana, to self-quarantine for 14 days.
[57] Abbott ordered the HHSC to reinstate COVID-19 health and safety standards at child care centers, reversing the agency's lifting of those requirements on June 12.
[60][61] Abbott paused the reopening of the businesses in the state as hospitalizations deaths and new COVID-19 cases begin to quickly rise, though prior relaxations of COVID-19 restrictions remained in place.
Counties with 20 or fewer active cases, children under 10, and persons with interfering medical conditions were allowed to opt-out of the order,[69] as well as people attending church, voting at polling places, or exercising outdoors.
[72] By October 29, 2020, larger hospitals in Amarillo, Lubbock, and El Paso did not have space available to accept transfers of seriously ill COVID patients from rural areas.
[78] The first positive test result for COVID-19 in Texas, outside of the evacuees quarantined at JBSA–Lackland from China and the Diamond Princess cruise ship, was reported by the DSHS on March 4 and involved a resident of Fort Bend County.
[80][81] The first case of possible community spread—where the source of infection is unknown—was reported by public health officials on March 11, involving a man in his 40s in Montgomery County; he had recently attended a barbecue at the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo on February 28.
[87] A surge in new COVID-19 cases began in June with large increases in the state's major cities and within a younger population compared to the beginning of the pandemic.
[92][93] On March 31, Abbott issued an executive order requiring all residents to remain at their homes unless conducting essential activities, and to minimize gatherings with people from outside of their immediate household.
[100][101] On July 2, Abbott announced that the wearing of face masks would be mandated in enclosed public spaces in counties with a minimum number of cases, and gatherings of more than 10 people without government approval would be prohibited.
On March 26, District Judge Lora Livingston blocked a request by the AG for a temporary injunction against a retaliatory lawsuit filed by Austin, thus allowing the enforceable mandate to remain in force.
[117] A day later on March 23, Bell,[118] Bexar,[119] Brazos,[120] Cameron,[121] Hunt,[122] McLennan,[123] Stephens[124] counties and the city of Forney,[125] issued a shelter in place for their communities.
[130] In Austin, where the South by Southwest festival was closed, many bar owners on Sixth Street boarded their windows to protect the stock they had amassed in preparation for the cancelled event.
[139] On October 29, Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton challenged a two-week shutdown of nonessential businesses ordered by El Paso County Judge Ricardo Samaniego.
[140] Other essential businesses collectively began limiting operational hours, providing previously in-store experiences in palatable to-go forms, restricting points of entry, and requiring use of sanitizer or face masks for all customers.
Law enforcement officials report a rise in fraud and identity theft as well and say they have been receiving more phone calls for assault, domestic violence, mental health related complaints and drug use.
[154] The number rose consistently pushing Texas to chart at the top of cases nationwide and hospitals in the state's largest cities reaching near or full ICU capacity.
[174] As of May 19, University of Texas at Austin disclosed that they were rolling out a series of "financial mitigation measures" to alleviate employee furloughs and other economic distress from COVID-19, even after receiving government grants.
[187] On May 28, Governor Abbott announced that professional sporting events at outdoor venues would be allowed to admit a limited number of spectators, capped at 25% of normal capacity, and subject to approval by health authorities.
[188] In June 2020, Fort Worth hosted the first IndyCar Series and PGA Tour events held since pandemic-related restrictions took effect, the Genesys 300 at Texas Motor Speedway,[189] and the Charles Schwab Challenge at Colonial Country Club.
[190][189] The pandemic impacted sports across the state at all levels: Texas high school started voluntary summer workouts on June 8 in anticipation of a full season return, but the UIL recommended all workouts statewide be postponed from July 3–13 as a safety measure, impacting around 200 schools across the state, many of which had already made the decision to shut down independently ahead of official orders.
[194][195] Citing looser restrictions in comparison to its traditional home of Las Vegas, the National Finals Rodeo also relocated to Globe Life Field.
[196] To take advantage of the loosened restrictions, the Texas Rangers announced that they would not cap their capacity for their home opener against the Toronto Blue Jays on April 5.
Due to the delay in announcing whether someone died from the disease, which can take as long as several months, Vox reported that "The 231 figure is likely to be a conservative count.
