AUSTIN, Texas – Editor’s note: An update on this story can be found here.
Gov. Greg Abbott is expected to announce an update to Texas’ response to COVID-19 Tuesday afternoon.
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The governor will make his announcement around 2:30 p.m. at the State Capitol and will be joined by Texas Department of State Health Services Commissioner John Hellerstedt, Texas Division of Emergency Management Chief Nim Kidd, Texas Health and Human Services Acting Executive Commissioner Phil Wilson and Texas Education Agency Commissioner Mike Morath.
You can watch the livestream in this article, on KSAT-TV and on KSAT’s streaming apps.
A news release sent Monday does not indicate what exactly the governor will announce, but in an interview with KSAT on Thursday, the governor said he would release information soon about the state’s plan to open hair salons and barbershops.
Previously, Abbott announced phases in reopening the state in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic after letting his stay-at-home executive order expire last Thursday.
All retail stores, restaurants, movie theaters and malls in Texas were allowed to open last Friday as long as they maintain only 25% occupancy and followed social distancing guidelines.
Abbott said the second phase of reopening Texas, which would potentially include bars, salons and barbershops, would be based on the state’s ability to maintain health care capacity and limit the spread of COVID-19.
COVID-19, the respiratory disease caused by the new virus, stands for coronavirus disease 2019. The disease first appeared in late December 2019 in Wuhan, China, but spread around the world in early 2020, causing the World Health Organization to declare a pandemic in March. The first case confirmed in the U.S. was in mid-January and the first case confirmed in San Antonio was in mid-February.
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