Abbott orders schools to remain closed for rest of year, state parks to reopen, retail-to-go, lo...

Abbott orders schools to remain closed for rest of year, state parks to reopen, retail-to-go, lo...

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That's it with them all. Eyes on Austin this afternoon, Governor Abbott and his task force laying, out plans to reopen the Texas economy yeah the press conference is underway let's listen in first time in American, history a, federal. Disaster has, been declared for, all 50. States. Almost. 700,000. Americans, have. Been affected, with kovat 19. More. Than 35, thousand of them have tragically. Lost their lives. Economic. Damage has hit even more Americans. Than the coronavirus, itself. More. Than 22, million, Americans have. Filed for unemployment. More. Than a million Texans, have. Dialed unemployment, claims. Businesses. Have, shuttered. Paychecks. Have disappeared. Food. Bank lines are swelling, across, Texas as more families seek. Food that. They desperately need. Well. In typical Texas fashion, you. Have come, together to support one another. You've. Made personal. Sacrifices to. Ensure that our state slows. The, spread of koba, 19, you. Helped to reduce. The number of Texans, who needed hospital. Care, you. Truly. Helped to. Save lives. Now. Texas needs you to continue, those efforts, but. I want you to know that we are especially. Grateful for the doctors, the nurses the first responders, and all medical personnel who. Have been battling on the front line against. This, invisible. Enemy. We're. Also thankful to the unsung. Heroes serving as childcare, staff, grocery. Clerks food. Service, providers, and the folks who clean our hospitals. And, we're grateful for, President. Trump vice. President Pence and the, entire Trump administration for, being available to me and my fellow governors. 24/7. Throughout this entire pendant I. Also. Want to recognize the members of the Texas House and Texas Senate for, their ongoing, leadership in their districts and. I. Want to recognize all of our local, leaders for their continued. Partnership, as we, collectively, respond, to the coronavirus in Texas. Because. Of the efforts by everyone. To, slow the spread we're. Now beginning to see glimmers. That. The worst of, Cova 19, may. Soon be, behind us, the. Number of infections, and hospitalizations, is beginning. To level off, we. Have a steady. Supply of PPE, like base masks, we. Have plenty of hospital, rooms and, ventilators, to treat. Our fellow Texans, and. The, deaths, while. Far. Too high will. Not come close to the early. Dire, predictions. And I'll add this. Texas. Has, the second, most, recoveries. From Cova 19 of, all states in America. We. Have demonstrated that we. Can. Corral, the, corona virus, we. Continue, increasing our testing capabilities, to help us identify in care for Texans, who have Cova 19, new. Strategies. Are being used by private, businesses and the public sector to, contain the corona virus. Things. Like checking. Temperature. Distancing. Practices. And. Better sanitation, standards. We've. Shown that we can both. Continue. Our efforts to contain the corona virus, while.

Also Adopting, the safe the standards. That. Will allow us to begin the, process of, reopening. Business. In Texas. So, today I'm doing, an. Executive, order an. Executive, order that outlines. How we go about opening, the Texas economy helping. You, return. To work using the safest, standards, to contain. The corona virus. Now. In opening Texas, we. Must be guided by data. And by, doctors. We. Must put health, and safety first. We. Must prioritize. Protecting. Our most vulnerable, populations. We. Will be getting input from medical, professionals as well as business. And community leaders to. Determine the safe and sure, way to. Reopen business, in Texas without. Spurring. The spread of the corona virus. To, guide this effort I, have. Formed a statewide. Strike, force to. Open Texas. The. Team includes, lieutenant. Governor Dan Patrick, speaker. The house Dennis Bonin Attorney. General Ken Paxton then. Comptroller, Glenn Hegar. They. Are joined by a team of nationally. Recognized. Medical advisers who will inform us about the best, health care standards to prevent the spread of Cobra 19. Those. Advisers, include, the, Commissioner, for state health services, dr. John Heller student they. Also include, dr., mark McClellan. He. Served both as FDA. Commissioner and, Medicaid. And Medicare, administrator, for the United States of America. It. Also includes, an infectious. Disease specialist. And director, of testing and tracing of cover 19 at. The University, of Texas Dell Medical School dr.. Parker, Hudson, and. They include dr. John zur was the. Executive vice chancellor, for Health Affairs, at. The University of Texas System. They, will work together to develop a medical, architecture. To, comprehensively. Test, and trace kovat 19 that. Will enable Texas. To gradually. And safely. Begin. The process of returning, to work and returning, to other activities, while. We wait for the immunizations. That. Will end, the, threat of Coppa 19. Our. Medical team will work with an advisory. Committee of successful. Business, and community leaders who will share, information and, innovative. Ideas to, help, businesses. Strategically. Reopen, while. Also containing the spread of the corona virus. They. Include entrepreneurs, like Kendra. Scott and, mattress. Mac Jamaican, mill, world-renowned. Tech, leaders like Michael Dell and Robert Smith. Economic. Development. Leaders like Ross Perot and Bob Rowland, small. Business, leaders like our Celia Costa, and masa Villarreal. Economic. Experts, like Richard, Fisher the former. President, and CEO, of, the Federal Reserve in Dallas. Dining. And entertainment. Trailblazers. Like tiller, Fertitta and. That was. Now. Miller. Bill. Miller's restaurants, in San Antonio Texas. Nonprofit. Organizations a leaders, like Nancy, kinder, and. Kirk Watson the. Founding dean of the, University, of Houston Hobby, School of Public Affairs. This. Team will collaborate, with working, groups to open, up Texas while keeping, our communities, safe. They. Will be led by a chairman. Who has successfully, run businesses, and, knows his way around the Capitol James. How thoughts, it. Will preside over a, full-time. Staff spearheaded. By my, to me a, proven. Chief operating, officer, who knows, how to quickly deliver results I. Want. You to know that I've. Already begun working with this, team about, next, steps for Texas. James. Hoffa, is in the full time staff have been working around, the clock and. The team of advisers has already. Finished their first meeting and they've, begun the process of, making recommendations. As a result of our combined. Efforts, I'm. Issuing, executive. Orders today, that. Will begin the process of, opening, Texas. Now. Understand, this. Opening. Texas must occur in. Stages. Obviously. Not all businesses. Can open all it was on me the first, some. Businesses, if fully, opened without better distancing, standards, would. Be more likely to set, us back rather. Than to propel, us forward a. More. Strategic. Approach is required to ensure that we don't, reopen, only. To have to shut. Down once again. First. Will. Be openings, announced. Today that. Include. Activities that should, pose minimal, or no threat. To expending code 19. Second. Additional. Openings will be announced on April. The 27th. After. Further input from the advisers and the medical staff, third. Even. More openings, will be announced in May when. It is determined that the infection. Rate continues. To decline that. Hospital, capacity, remains available, and. When testing capacities, are sufficient, to detect. And contain. Outbreaks. Of Cova 19. The. First executive, order today establishes. The. Governor's strike, force to, open Texas. It. Sets out the organization. And the duties of the strike force they. Will gather. Information and make recommendations about, ways that businesses, can, reopen, as. Well as the safe practices, those, businesses. Should, use. My. Next executive, order focuses, on. Doctors, nurses. Hospitals. And. Medical, staff. Many. Doctors and nurses have been sidelined.

Because. Of the need to postpone, non-essential. Medical procedures. That. Was done to free, up hospital capacity, and the, PPE, needed, to treat covered 19 patients. Well. Today, Texas. Has plenty, of hospital capacity, we. Have a solid. Supply chain of PPE and, many. Of our doctors and nurses have patients, who. Desperately need, medical, treatment. It. Is time to allow those doctors, and nurses to return, to work. However. There. Must be done in ways to ensure that we will be able to treat. Kovac, 19 patients. Adequate. Supplies of hospital. Beds and PPE, must. Be maintained, to ensure that all, COBIT, 19 needs are, met. So. Effective. April. To 22nd, which. Obvious is next week. Current. Restrictions on, surgery, will. Be loosened. This. Will allow doctors, to diagnose. And treat more. Medical, conditions, without needing to get an exception. This. One example of this would be a, diagnostic. Test for, suspected. Cancer. Now about loosening restrictions for, doctors, we. Are enhancing, standards. To. Protect our vulnerable, seniors who. Live in nursing homes and. Assisted living centers. To. Protect against, Koba 19 getting, into those living centers, we. Are requiring, infection. Control policies, and. We. Are minimizing the, movement of staff between those facilities. Next. Is. My, executive, order about, the retail sector in Texas. Retailers. Are such. An important. Part of our economy they. Provide you with products, that you need and want and they create, so. Many jobs. During. Our battle with koban 19 over the past month, and a half we've seen some retailers sell products, without customers. Going, into stores and his reducing. Exposure to, the coronavirus, you. Simply order. The product and you pick it up or have it delivered to you. Because. We've seen that this model works while. Also containing, cover 19, we. Believe that all, stores. In Texas, should. Be able to operate retail. To go, beginning. Next. Friday one. Week from today. This, temporary, plan allows you to, be able to access more, retailers while. Also minimizing contact. With others, it. Also sets. Standards, on retailers, that, assure safe practices, intended. To reduce exposure, to kovat, 19, to. Learn what those tenders are go. To DHS. Dot. Texas, dot. Geo, the slash. Coronavirus. Next. Your, physical, and, mental health, are. Important. Especially. At times like these. Going. To parts is an effective way to address those, things, so. State. Parks will be reopened, beginning. This coming Monday. Now. In order to reduce, possible, transmission, of Kobe 19 and state parks. Visitors. Must, wear face coverings, or mass, also. Visitors, must, maintain a distance of at least 6, feet for people who were not members of the same household, and. For now. Visitors. Cannot gather in groups larger. Than five. Today's, executive. Order also addresses, schools. The. Team of doctors advising, us have determined. That it would be unsafe, to. Allow students together in schools for the foreseeable, future, as. A result, school. Classrooms, are closed, for. The remainder of, the, 2019, 2020 school, year that, includes, all, public, private and higher education, institutions. Now. Teachers will. Be allowed in the classroom for video. Instruction, and they choose or. To perform, administrative. Duties or, to clean, out their classrooms. For. Public education. Teehee. A commissioner, mike barratt will sue, provide, more details about how to proceed and he. Will explore how, to conduct graduation, ceremonies. For. Higher education commissioner. Harrison. Keller will provide similar advice to colleges. And universities about. How to conclude programs, this semester, and how, to operate, semesters. This coming summer. Next. Steps. On, Monday, April the 27th. We. Will announce additional ways, to open. Texas. In. These, next 10 days we will prepare a phased-in. Strategy, to. Open Texas in a safe. Way. It. Will require. Comprehensive. Testing, and assurances. Of hospital. Readiness, for co19 patients. It. Will focus on. Containing. The risk of, resurgence of Kobe 19 and. Protecting. Our most vulnerable, Texas. On. April, 2 27th. Revised. Plans, will, be announced. The. New players will be will be based on how well, contained, COBIT, 19 is in the state of Texas, the. The plans will consider. Standards, to protect, our vulnerable, residents, while. Allowing, others to increase. Their, interactions. They. Will outline which. Practices. Are safe for employers, to use, they. Will consider the possibility. Of, opening more venues. Venues. Like restaurants. Movie. Theaters and, other gathering, places that can, provide safe, distancing. Practices. They. Will also consider, expanding. Elective, surgeries. We will consider in fact all.

Strategies. That. May open up Texas while. Also keeping, us protected, from, the expansion of Coppa 19. Let, me close with this. Texans. Are, battling, a colossal. Challenge an. Invisible. Enemy that has tested, our lives and tested our livelihoods. Part. Of the Texas brand however is. Our, ability to overcome. Challenges. We've. Overcome. Far, more challenges, that we can possibly count. Together. We. Can bend. The curve together. We can overcome this. Pandemic. We. Can get. Folks back to work we. Can adopt safe. Strategies. That prevent, the spread of koban 18, and. Step. By step we, will. Open. Texas. Next. I'll, turn it over to James. Heintz well. Thank you governor, these, are indeed, unprecedented. Times but as Texans, have proved time. And time again we. Are a resilient, state, and, with your leadership I know, we will make it through this together. I am. Honored to join you and, all of the outstanding, members of this task force to serve the people of Texas and to, help lead our state through. This challenge. As, the governor said this, team. Exists. To inform him on the best strategies. To revitalize, the Texas economy and, get, Texas, back, to work, while. Protecting, and I'll, repeat while protecting, the, health and safety, of all Texans, and we, have already begun working, around the clock to accomplish, this mission. It's, clear that all Texans, are hurting, economically and. Are ready to get back to work so. That they can begin to earn a paycheck again. But. I want to reiterate what, the governor said. His. Main point is that slowing the spread of this virus and. Keeping, Texans, safe, remains. Our. Top priority, every. Recommendation. Every. Action by the governor, will, be informed, and based. On hard data and, the. Expertise. Of our chief medical, advisors. Everything. We do will. Be medically. Sound, these. Nationally, recognized, advisors. Are, leading, experts, in their fields, and we, will rely, on their, knowledge and expertise. Every. Step of the way, joining. Them will be leaders from all sectors of the economy as.

Well As the public sector leaders. They. Are experts, in their fields, ranging from infrastructure, to, energy, to. Education. And, economic. Development, they. Are already working on innovative, solutions. To keep Texas businesses. Reopened. While, containing, the virus, we. Have a great challenge ahead, of us but. The governor has assembled, a team that, is up to this task. This, is not something, that can be achieved overnight. It. Will be a gradual, process to, reopen Texas, while, at the same time keeping. All Texans, safe, but. I assure you this, team will. Work night and day to restore. Texans, livelihoods and, to, keep the Texas, economy, the, greatest in the nation thank you go thank you James and now dr., Heller stands. From. The public medical, side as, well as looking at the advice of folks. Who, have great experience, in Business and Economics. We, can do it I think we see around us the, evidence that we have slowed, the, progression of copán, 19 we. May not be quite over the hump but we should take great satisfaction and. Be very encouraged, by the progress that, we've made so far, Cobin, 19 did not explode cloven, 19 did not be, the worst, predictions. That were out there it's, because of the actions, of Texans, so we have the will and the ability to, take. The steps that are necessary to, contain, kovat 19 and, as we go forward in making Texas. We will require, that same discipline. In order to be successful while being safe at the same time. Thank you now, lieutenant, governor Dan Patrick. Thank. Together. The. Great orator once said it's, not the beginning of the end but the end of the beginning we. May not quite be at the end of the beginning yet, but. We are surveying progress, because of 29, million Texans who joined that's, really the task force of the strike force governor is the 29 million Texans all, together at this that's, all I welcome mr.. Hall finds the team and we're. Gonna continue to work hard I will thank our senators, I know the speaker will thank his house members, every, day we're on the ground working their businesses, to help reopen and answer those questions, and we're gonna be bringing a lot of recommendations to, you and look forward to working with you on that I just, want to tell the Texans. That we. Had this great opportunity to. Lead the country and in essence leave the world with the 10th largest economy, to, really open up our economy but, as we go through these phases as the governor dr. Halstead said it's, really important, we, not let our guard, down we. Still have, to focus on the social distance, and issues and we, have to respect each other as we have and we have to be safe first, but I feel like today governor is it. Is not the end of the beginning but. We are beginning, to move to that point and it will depend on all of us working together so, god bless you thank you for what you've already done so far that's, great Texas, thank.

You, Now. Speaker Dennis bonnet. Thank. You governor and. I want to begin by thanking the governor and, all of the state, employees, and the health care workers and the doctors, do. It worked day, and night, we're. At a positive, place because. Of their selfless, efforts. It, is lieutenant, governor said our, sinners working hard our House members, are working incredibly hard and. We're working hard where we, are best and, that is in our districts, and in our communities, where we are closest, to the people we represent, and. We're hitting a phase where. It is even more important, that we show caring, in, love and, compassion for each other then, we even already have as. We see pieces of our economy, open back up those. Of us who wish we were able to maybe be back open in our own businesses, have, to show the restraint, and the respect, to those businesses, who are able, to start operating, so. That we can continue, to be the, virus. In. The more successful, we are defeating. The curve and beating the virus, the, more rapidly. Businesses. Will be back to, normal operations. But, we must do it with respect for, each other and. We must consider, each other's desires. For, an open Texas, economy and, the more we do that with, regard, to the. The more success, we will have on a more rapid, time line Thank, You governor for your continuous, leadership, he. Has not taken a breath in, his worked day, and night for Texas, and he in this great team mr. Huff finds and those of you'll be leading we, look forward to working and supporting all of you getting, Texas, back, to being the great Texas it, is thank, you. Thank, you very much we'll, be happy to take a few questions. Governor, you mentioned testing obviously, that remains our concern for a lot of people who look at that number and see how small the fraction of the overall population, it is can, you tell us what specific, strategies, and. Specific benchmarks you may have going forward as. You reopen the Texas economy specifically. When it comes to testing sure. So a core. Component of the, ability for Texas, to open up our businesses, and open, up more of our. Socializing. Is, going to be tied to the. Increased, testing that we will be conducting I was, on a telephone conference with the president, the vice president, and dr. Burks yesterday, where, we were talking about these strategies so, through. That phone, conference, through multiple, conversations that I've had with the vice president through, information that I have from, our supply, chain team we. Know the visibility, that we have for. A dramatic increase, in the amount of testing we will be able to do not. Just testing those who may. Show. Symptoms, of the, corona virus but, also being, able to test entire. Communities, so, we have better. Information about. What. A community setting looks like about what, the infection rate may be also. Testing. Strategies, where we can identify. Those, who test positive and, make. Sure that they are taken care of in ways that they don't spread, that virus to, others we. Know, that. Until, there's. A immunization. Or therapeutic. Drugs that, we'll be able to treat the corona virus this. Can still spread as. A result people will. Have to maintain distancing. Strategies, we. Will also need to deploy this, testing. Regime. Across, the entire state of Texas to, make sure that we continue to contain the coronavirus is. There a specific number of testing. Expanded, testing capacity that people can look forward to whether it's on a daily or weekly basis, but, in. The short term you can continue, daily. Increases. With. The information, that we have about a massive. Amount of testing capability, coming, to Texas by, late, April or early May it'll. Be, going up quite a bit. Until. A firm number can be given should any businesses, be able to open up and what, would that look like in terms of just when we'll know the actual numbers, how quickly well. Just. Decisions, like what, you asked about. The. Ability for businesses, to open up will. Be driven by two things one. Is what our medical, team advises, and, two is what the data shows, yeah. The. Data continues, to show a flat. Lining and. Then a decline of the, number of people testing positive in the state of Texas that is, a signal, that. We can begin the process of. Opening up some businesses, that, adhere, to the, strictest, strategies.

That, Will reduce the spread of the corona virus that, would mean limiting. The number of people within. A certain business who, will mean following. Sanitation. And safe standards it could be wearing. A mask it could be hand sanitizing, it could be making. Sure that you're maintaining. Distance, from other employees, as well as from customers, yes. Because. We've. Been going for more than a month now with. Strategies, showing. That. Businesses. Have been able to provide. And other supplies, and, products by. Delivery, to cars by. Delivery, to homes in, ways that contain the spread of the coronavirus we, can at this time safely conclude, that. Such, businesses. Can. Be expanded throughout. The entire retail sector as. As. Long as the, retail sector is adhering. To the same safe practices, that, we see stores like h-e-b. Home. Depot and others utilizing, with this exception with. The expansion now of retail, to go it. Will not allow people to go into these. Retail, stores it, will simply allow them to be able to pick, up items at. A drive-through. Situation. Or, delivery. To their home. With, the announcements, coming on April the 27th, one, thing that our team will be working on collaboratively. But, expeditiously. Is, to evaluate what. Other types of businesses can, reopen and. What, are the best standards, and practices, for, those businesses, to follow. As you know there's a number of legal battles playing, out over some of these active orders you've issued one, of them relates to the the ban, on most abortions, due to the, order. You put outlawing. Non-essential. Surgeries the, new action that you're taking today on, surgeries. Does. That affect the the effective, ban on most abortions. Ultimately. Obviously that will be a decision for courts to make let me tell you about today's, decision, today's. Decision like all decisions are, based upon data, and. What doctors, recommend. The, data that. Was behind the original order, was. Dead of forecasting. That, Texas would, have strain hospital, capacity, strain. PPE, capacity. And. Hence there was a need. Articulated. By doctors that we shut, down all procedures. Except, for those that were allowed to make sure that we maintain, the hospital beds we needed it, maintain the PPE that we needed it. Turned out in hindsight, that. We have a great, number of hospital, beds that are vacant, that, appear that will not be needed to treat Kovac 19 patients, because. Of the hospital, bed vacancy, and, because. Of new. Supply chain for, PPE we. Feel that we can begin allowing.

Some More procedures. In. My conversations, with the doctors before this decision was made they. Were very cautious primarily. Because of, the, limited. PPE, still, for. Current hospital workers hence. It has opened up a little bit for. More surgical, procedures and for, diagnostic. Tests, especially. For those who may have serious, illness in ways, that we do not think we'll compromise PPE, supply and, in ways that will ensure that there still will remain an. Adequate, number of hospital, beds for, anybody who may test positive for code 19. Should. Those additional. Surgeries, that you're opening up today, are. You allowing them to include a border abortion. That. Is, not. Part of this order the. Way that the order is written is in, turn, of what doctors write about, the type of treatment, that is provided. There's, maybe. Always a chance that businesses, may push the envelope, what advice do you have for employees. Who may be concerned about going back to work in any former, fashion of whether it's even to go or kind. Of as that economy, starts reopening. Alkis. A device for, both employees, and employers and, that is this understandable, that. Employees. May. Be concerned, about, going back to work they, may be concerned about contracting. Covin, 19. Employees. Should not be coerced into. Returning to work we. Need to make sure that our employees feel safe and. That, employers, that. Are beginning let's say retail to go are. Employing. The, very best strategies, to, make sure that they reduce any, possible, transmission of, kovat, 19 so. Those, employers have a responsibility that, are set out in that, website address that I've identified for, you to make sure they are practicing. Safe, practices. To. Reduce the transmission of Coppa 19. Your. Previous order telling the statewide order telling Texans to stay home except for essential, activities. That's, as you know effective through April 30th can, you just elaborate on how today's announcements, impact that and what, you're going to be making a decision soon. Or today, whether to extend that previous order so, the. Order to state home expires, on April the 30th what, is today were additional. Exceptions. From, that state home policy, I also. Articulated. That in, 10 days on the, 27th, of April we. Will be issuing additional. Executive orders and, one, of the things that we will consider is, the, elimination of the, state home policy, the. Guidelines, that were presented, to governor's yesterday by the president, talked. About in, this next phase if. If. The. Data lines up is. The possibility of going back to the standard that we had in Texas before, the sent home standard which, was. Encouraging. People to stay at home but. Allowing people to gather in groups of ten or less we. Would be able to move to that standard if the. Data shows that we, are beginning to. Continue. To reduce the. Number of people testing positive for cover 19 showing, that we are effective. In containing the spread of coke at 19. What, about a possible. Resurgence. We've. Heard from economists, even just, the concerns about reopening. And kind of a yo-yo effect on the economy if you're opening only, to see more cases, and kind, of being right back where we were to begin with and then, having to close down again and reopen, do you think that that's the smartest, move well. What, the. The president's, advisors have said what. All the, medical community says, is. That when. You begin to reopen, an economy, with. A disease, that has, no, immunization. For it there. Is the possibility of, an. Increase in spread so, we. Know in advance. That. All of the economies are not just across America, but across the entire world as, they begin to open up there, is the possibility of a, resurgence, of Cova 19 that's. One of the reasons why we will utilize enhanced. Testing strategies. Enhance. Containment. Strategies to, make sure that when it does arise we. Will be able to contain it well. We have shown and what we believe we will be able to continue to show is, that we are able to increase. Economic activity, increase. The ability of people to go about with a more, normalization. Of their lives, while, at the same time containing.

The Spread and, when it does arise be, able to provide, targeted solutions, now. There were some other strategies, that were mentioned by. The president's, team and that is consideration. If. They, spread does arise in a very meaningful way, there. May need to be pockets. Of the economy shut down we, give an example, if, spread arises it. More likely we're to rise in a particular community not. Statewide there. May be a need to have a stricter standard for. That one community as, opposed to statewide but. We, can be flexible in these strategies and businesses, need to understand that. We can open so long as these. Businesses, and all Texans make, sure they are practicing the, safest standards that will prevent the spread of the köppen i-team if, we do that we. Will be able to continue to open up our economy. Just, going back to testing quickly just to drill down on this can you explain where this expanded, testing capacity, is coming, from and specifically what kind of testing. Is going, to be part, of that expanded testing sure the the, new. Testing, comes, from the private sector the. Names of all these entities probably. Are more easily summon about, dr. Heller stat, talk. About some of these new testing strategies, then I will elaborate, further. There are basically. Two streams. If you will for testing one is a public. Health and one is through the private sector we're, actually increasing our, capacity the public health. We. Believe. Significantly. By. Adding, new platforms. If you will new ways of providing of doing the. PCR. Assay, that is, stated. For, testing so we're adding that the other thing that we're adding we're starting, to see a more, reliable, supply, of the, what, are called swab collection. Kits in, other words that's how you actually obtain the specimen. From a patient, to interesting. And, those have been in very short supply but, we're seeing very encouraging, signs that, more and more of those testing, kits will be on the way and one, of our testing kits is actually going to enable, us to if. You will maximize. These of, the laboratory. Based testing, that we already have and, then there are new technologies. That are coming along everyday. That. Add, to that capacity. Yeah I was. Trying to get, at how much of that share is gonna be like for example these new rapid tests instead of where you can get a quick answer instead of having to send the swab off to allowable it is twofold, one is as. Dr. Heller stet was making clear and that is there. Are new collection, strategies. That. Will be used but. Also there are new testing, capacities, that will be used, you've heard about eros for example and there's many other private. Sector providers like that that are providing these, new massive. Testing. Capabilities, once the collection is done that. Will lead to greater results, and these are part of the strategies, that dr.. Burks and the presidentís, team has been talking to us about that, are coming online as we speak. I just. Had one last question about unemployment, benefits, and.

The States basically. Running out of money to be able to pay, unemployment benefits. How. Will that be remedied and just kind of what does that mean for the, economy as we're talking right now, so. The. Question concerns unemployment, benefits and understand this and that is the. Texas. Workforce Commission has. Been now working, seven days a week to. Make sure that they're going to be able to process all, unemployment. Benefit claims my. Recollection, is has been well over a million Texans, who, have been. Able to be successfully, processed for, unemployment, benefits and something, like a half, a billion dollars, has, been paid out one. Thing that Congress passed that, is so helpful is, a massive, amount of money that provides. More, unemployment, benefits for, a longer, period of time so, there, should be plenty of money for those who are unemployed then. On top of that we, know that Congress is. Considering. Additional. Programs, that could be coming out as, soon as May that, will provide even more funding to, States as, needs arise well. There be any need. For tax, hikes for businesses, I'm having a hard time hearing you could do sorry, any need for text, like for businesses. Any. New tax breaks for businesses hikes, for businesses, tax hikes, for. Unemployment, benefits help but you're asking for about tax hikes yeah. For paying for. You know, again. I can't again instead the question how would the tax hikes. In. Texas, but again, let's go back one. Thing Congress and. The president, were. Adamant, about achieving, is. Is making sure that they are providing. An. Extraordinary. Unprecedented. Amount of, unemployment benefits. For, all, workers across the country so, that for one they. Will continue the, flow, about. Employment unemployment. Benefits. But remember, this. Part. Of their goal part. Of the president's, goal an, hour ago is. The. Best strategy to reduce. Unemployment benefits, just. To increase jobs and. Part. Of establishing. Retail, to go part. Of what we will announce on April the 27th, a part of what we will announce during the course of the month of May will. Be increasing, jobs it, won't be getting people off of, the unemployment rolls there, will be giving people what they want and. That is the ability to, return to work.

2020-04-21 08:47

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