Thread by @HoustonChron

Hi there! This is Austin bureau reporter @taygoldenstein.
@GovAbbott is about to make an announcement about his plans to reopen the Texas economy in just a minute. Follow along here.

Here's our early story➡️ houstonchronicle.com/politics/texas…

Abbott thanks Texans for their social distancing efforts + health care workers on the frontline. Says infection/hospitalization rate slowing down.

"Every life lost is tragic. The fact is the tragedies in Texas have been far fewer than most states in the United States."

Abbott says Texas has the third-most recoveries from COVID-19 in America.

Says the number of people recovered from COVID-19 will soon exceed the number of active cases.

BREAKING: @GovAbbott announces his stay-at-home order will expire as scheduled on Thursday, April 30. "Now it's time to set a new course ... that responsibly opens up business in Texas."

Abbott: "We're not just going to open up and hope for the best." Says reopenings will happen in phases. Wants to make sure we don't reopen "only to have to close again."

First phase will begin Friday, May 1, "if we can contain the spread." Phase 2 could come as early as May 18.

Abbott says businesses must take care to make sure people can remain home as often as possible. Says the state will also take steps to protect seniors in long-term care facilities.

BREAKING: Abbott announces new executive order ➡️

• Retail stores, restaurants, movie theaters and malls can open May 1
• Occupancy limited to no more than 25% (will go up to 50% during phase 2)
• Supercedes all local orders
• Reopening optional/up to biz owners

Abbott says his new order allows museums and libraries to reopen, but no "hands-on" exhibits.

Outdoor sports like golf and tennis involving no more than four people allowed, Abbott says about the new order announced today.

All licensed healthcare professionals can go back to work with "fewer restrictions," Abbott says of new order.

Abbott also said earlier that churches and other places of worship will be able to expand capacity May 1 while still using social distancing.

Abbott says he wants to see bars, hair salons, gyms reopen in mid-May.

On summer camps, Abbott says: "We know how important they are for our kids and how important they are for parents.

Our medical team is still working on safe ways kids will be able to attend summer camps."

.@GovAbbott lays out the phases of his plan to stop the spread of COVID-19, which will involve more contact tracing carried out by a team of 4,000 starting May 11.

Abbott says the state "should easily exceed our goal of 25,000 tests per day" using public and private testing.

Says he sent his reopening plan to Dr. Deborah Birx, coronavirus response coordinator for the U.S., and she said it was "great."

From earlier, Abbott said in counties with five or fewer COVID-19 cases, businesses can reopen with 50% capacity during Phase 1.

Lt. Gov. @DanPatrick: "This will be a team effort between the customer and the business." People will support local business and businesses will make sure people stay safe while doing so, he said.

House Speaker @RepDennisBonnen: "We must continue our social distancing, we must continue our consideration of others. We must remember that we may not find ourselves as vulnerable as others, but we have compassion for the most vulnerable of our society."

Asked about criticism that this is too soon, Abbott says:

"These are decisions that are the result of tremendous input by the best possible medical team, and we would not be making a decision to open up Texas without that medical advice."

Abbott says no single factor or data type (positive numbers, deaths, hospitalizations) that the state is looking at -- looking at everything and consulting with medical professionals.

Asked about other businesses that are desperate to reopen as well:

"No doubt it's frustrating, which is exactly why today's announcement is not the end of the work. We go to work this afternoon on working on solutions for more businesses to reopen like hair salons."

Earlier, Lt. Gov. @DanPatrick mentioned that wearing masks encouraged but not mandated.

Asked about that, Abbott says the statewide take differs from places like Harris County, which recently mandated them. Abbott says fines cannot be imposed.

Abbott: The goal was to find strategies that would ensure public safety but also "allow businesses to open up as much as possible." Emphasizes that this is optional.

"If you want to stay home, continue to stay home. ... You have every right to choose your own pathway in life."

That's a wrap! Thanks for following. Here's our developing story:
houstonchronicle.com/politics/texas…