Coronavirus: Texas Governor Implements Measures In Response

AUSTIN, TX — From easing the process of securing small business loans to endorsing the halting of landlord evictions to waiving health care fees for inmates, Gov. Greg Abbott on Friday ordered an array of sweeping measures triggered by the growing new coronavirus threat.

On Friday alone, Abbott undertook several initiatives as the state copes with the growing threat of the respiratory ailment now renamed a COVID-19. The illness is caused by a member of the coronavirus family that’s a close cousin to the SARS and MERS viruses that have triggered outbreaks in the past.

To date, there have been 194 cases of COVID-19 in Texas with five fatalities, according to Texas Department of State Health Services data. In the state capital alone, the illness count was 58 as of Friday — up 17 from the previous day, according to Austin Public Health officials. The state data appears to be conservative or not updated as the Travis County count still shows just 21 cases as of Friday — close to the count of 23 posted by Austin Public Health officials on Wednesday, March 18.

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In responding to the growing threat, Abbott on Thursday ordered a shutdown of all bars in restaurants statewide to mitigate the chance of further illness spread. Schools, gyms and massage parlors also were ordered to be shut down. Concurrently, the governor issued a prohibition on crowds containing 10 or more people as another tactic to promote social distancing.

Before that order, Abbott took several measures on Wednesday, including:

• Temporary closure of Texas driver licenses offices in the state. On a related front, the governor waived expiration dates for Texas driver licenses.
• A temporary suspension to a law blocking delivery of alcohol in Texas.

On Friday, Abbott bolstered the state response with multiple initiatives:

• The issuance of a waiver on regulations to support Texas pharmacy operations and allow for telephonic consultations. The governor’s action removes regulatory barriers so that pharmacies can operate at full strength.
• Suspension of provisions to allow for refunds of application fees to obtain a temporary event permit for an event that was later canceled as a result of COVID-19.
• Approval of an emergency designation for small business disaster loans to firms negatively impacted. The move enables the U.S. Small Business Administration. The move enables the agency to include Texas in its Economic Injury Disaster Declaration and granted access to its Economic Injury Disaster Loan program providing long-term, low-interest loans to qualifying businesses across the state.
• Endorsing an emergency order by the Texas Supreme Court suspending residential eviction proceedings through April 19. "This decision by the Texas Supreme Court offers a lifeline to many Texans who are beginning to feel the economic impact of COVID-19," Abbott said in a prepared statement. "Temporarily suspending residential eviction proceedings will provide Texans whose personal income has been affected by the spread of this virus with greater flexibility to meet their housing needs and provide for their families. I thank the Texas Supreme Court for its swift action on this matter."
• Directing the Texas Department of Criminal Justice to temporarily suspend inmate fees for health care services related to COVID-19. While incarcerated, Texans housed within state jails are never denied access to health care due to inability to pay, the governor explained, the waiver encourage timely reporting of COVID-19 symptoms so offenders are given needed treatment. "As we work to mitigate the spread of COVID-19, we are committed to protecting the health of individuals in state custody and the dedicated employees working in TDCJ facilities," Abbott said in a prepared statement.
• For good measure, Abbott on Friday released a public service announcement encouraging Texas residents to practice social distancing to stem the tide of COVID-19 spread. The PSA was produced by Roy Spence, Chairman of Austin-based advertising company GSD&M, with Matthew McConaughey providing the voice-over.