The child judge of Harris County says we need to cower in fear and bankrupt more small businesses because COVID is, like, really scary, you guys!
The rollback, mandated under Gov. Greg Abbott's emergency protocols, includes restaurants dropping to 50 percent occupancy from 75 percent, and bars that have not reclassified as restaurants closing immediately. The restrictions remain in place until the region drops below 15 percent COVID-19 hospitalizations for seven straight days.
As of Monday, the latest day of available data, the Houston region was at 19.9 percent, up from just over 13 percent a week earlier. Infections and hospitalizations have been rising steadily in recent weeks, following spikes in other parts of the state and amid holiday gatherings.
All but four of the state's 22 hospital regions were over 15 percent as of Monday.
Texas Medical Center Hospitals in Houston announced earlier Tuesday that they were putting a hold on certain elective surgeries to save resources for coronavirus patients. Under the governor’s protocols, hospitals are required to postpone elective surgeries that would deplete COVID-19 resources.
Harris County Judge Lina Hidalgo speaks during an interview in Houston, Texas, U.S., on Tuesday, Dec. 10, 2019. Houston-area residents should follow stay-at-home guidelines that were discontinued weeks ago to cope with a resurgence in Covid-19 cases and hospitalizations, Hidalgo said. Photographer: Sharon Steinmannn/Bloomberg via Getty Images