Business Bulletin – May 18, 2020

In order to keep you informed on the evolving impact of COVID-19 on our local community, the Plano Chamber will be publishing updates on Mondays and Thursdays as the Business Bulletin. We will share the top news items that you need to read to stay up-to-date on important health, community, and business issues as they develop.

May 18, 2020

FEDERAL

• The US House of Representatives passed a version of a fourth relief bill that was authored by Democrat leadership last week.  The White House and Senate Republicans have indicated they prefer a ‘wait and see’ approach to whether the country needs another stimulus package, likely in June.

STATE

• Gov. Abbott announced Texas is moving into Phase II of reopening today.  Highlights from his press conference are below, and a full listing of new businesses than can reopen is available at gov.texas.gov/opentexas.
  • Texas’s testing has increased.  We now are averaging 25k tests a day with 600 testing sites across Texas which allows us to identify hot spots, the top 3 of which are typically (1) nursing homes, (2) jails and (3) meat packing plants.  When hot spots arise, the Governor can send in a Surge Response Teams to isolate those infected and help thoroughly disinfect the facility. This will contribute to number of confirmed tests but allows Texas to contain them within a week or two.
  • Key Metrics for Phase II
    • Positivity Rate.  As testing increases, so will raw number of confirmed tests.  The White House Task Force recommends the rate of positive tests be trending downward to continue to reopen.  Texas’s rate was ~14% in mid April and is now ~5%.
    • Hospitalizations and Capacity. Texas hospital capacity has remained steady since mid April with plenty of capacity for new patients.
  • Other personal services businesses beyond barber shops, beauty salons and tanning and nail salons can now open.  A full list can be found at gov.texas.gov/opentexas.
  • Businesses in office buildings can now open to the greater of either 10 employees or 25% of their workforce so long as they follow social distancing guidelines.
  • Childcare services can open immediately. 
  • Restaurants can open to 50% capacity and bars/tap rooms/wine tastings at 25% capacity. Drive in concerts, bowling alleys and similar businesses can open up at 25% capacity beginning May 21^st.
  • Beginning May 30, youth sports camps and little league can open and parents can spectate with proper social distancing.  All summer camps and daytime and overnight camps can open.
  • Professional sports such as golf, car racing, baseball, football, basketball can open beginning May 30.
  • School districts have the option to provide summer school starting June 1^st, so long as they follow safe distancing guidelines.
  • There may be times when certain counties need different guidelines because of flareups.  El Paso is in this situation now – their Phase II dates are moved back one week.