Gov. Gregg Abbott’s new executive orders expanding occupancy levels for retailers is expected to help them compete and service more customers in brick-and-mortar stores, according to the Texas Retailers Association (TRA).
“The TRA has worked with the governor and local officials to ensure the health and safety of both employees and customers while at the same time re-opening Texas,” said Diana Cardona, TRA spokesperson.
Under the new orders, occupancy levels were increased to 75% starting Sept. 21 for restaurants, retail stores, office buildings, manufacturing facilities, gyms, exercise facilities and classes, museums and libraries.
“The 75% occupancy rate will help retailers especially mall and shopping center retailers who were initially deemed non-essential to allow more customers into their stores,” Cardona told the Lone Star Standard. “More customers in the store means more sales. More sales means more employees. More sales means more sales tax dollars.”
Regarding how long for retailers to recover, Cardona said, “As long as it takes for people to feel completely safe venturing out and being in crowded spaces at times. This will likely be driven by how effectively the COVID virus is mitigated to a very low rate of spread.”
The Texas Department of State Health Services reports 739,222 confirmed coronavirus cases and 15,533 fatalities as of Sept. 29.
Gov. Greg Abbott urged Texans at a press conference to continue to wear masks, stand 6 feet apart and to employ sanitizing protocol.
“With the medical advancements we have made and the personal hygiene practices we have adopted, Texans have shown that we can address both the health and safety concerns of COVID-19 while also taking careful, measured steps to restore the livelihoods that Texans depend on," he said in a statement online. "Achieving both goals requires safe standards that contain COVID-19, emphasize protecting the most vulnerable, and establish clear metrics that the public can depend on. That is why today we have announced expanded occupancy standards for a variety of services. But, Texans should remember that a steady and significant decline in COVID-19 cases is not a sign to let up in our vigilance against the virus.”
The governor also announced new rules concerning nursing homes and long-term care facilities in which proper PPE is required for scheduled visits, and a family member designated as an essential caregiver must test negative for COVID-19 in the previous 14 days before the initial visit, according to a press release.
