By Brice Helms
FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. — Half of states are either partially opened or will be in the coming weeks while the other half continues with their shut down.
Earlier this week Texas’ Harris County issued a mandatory mask order. On Friday the state is opening back up, allowing restaurants, movie theaters and retail stores to open with reduced capacity for customers.
“We wanted to make sure that we were able to open up as quickly as possible, but as safely as possible. And 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,” said Texas Governor Greg Abbott.
The different ways the pandemic is being handled can lead to some confusion. Healthcare workers are urging people to continue practice social distancing.
Lauren Love, a registered nurse at MD Anderson in Houston, said “I think if people kind of think more about others than themselves then maybe they’ll realize why we’re doing all of these precautions. Like obviously you’re protecting yourself as well but then you’re protecting countless who can’t really protect themselves.”