Governor Greg Abbott has issued an executive order requiring all Texans to wear a face covering over the nose and mouth in public spaces.
The order applies to counties with 20 or more positive COVID-19 cases, with few exceptions.
The governor also issued a proclamation giving mayors and county judges the ability to impose restrictions on some outdoor gatherings over 10 people and making it mandatory that, with certain exceptions, people cannot be in groups later than 10 and must maintain six feet of social distancing from others.
"Wearing a face covering in public is proven to be one of the most effective ways we have to slow the spread of COVID-19,” said Governor Abbott. “We have the ability to keep businesses open and move our economy forward so that Texans can continue to earn a paycheck, but it requires each of us to do our part to protect one another—and that means wearing a face covering in public spaces. Likewise, large gatherings are a clear contributor to the rise in COVID-19 cases. Restricting the size of groups gatherings will strengthen Texas’ ability to corral this virus and keep Texans safe. We all have a responsibility to slow the spread of COVID-19 and keep our communities safe. If Texans commit to wearing face coverings in public spaces and follow the best health and safety practices, we can both slow the spread of COVID-19 and keep Texas open for business. I urge all Texans to wear a face covering in public, not just for their own health, but for the health of their families, friends, and for all our fellow Texans.”
The governer released a new video message to coincide with the executive order, encouraging Texans to do their part to mitigate the spread of COVID-19 and keep communities safe. To view the video, visit the top of this article.
This article was written by Sydney Isenberg forKXXV.