California’s Closed, Texas Open and States Go Their Own Way
- ‘50 flowers bloom’ in absence of strong guidance from Trump
- Lack of widespread testing still a barrier to fully reopening
Pedestrians wearing protective masks and gloves cross Congress Avenue in downtown Austin, Texas.
Photographer: Bronte Wittpenn/BloombergThe Trump administration promised Americans that expanded coronavirus testing would give states the information they need to restart their economies, but Texas has already heard enough.
Governor Greg Abbott said Monday that malls, restaurants and movie theaters could re-open Friday. “The lives saved are priceless, but the price has been steep,” Abbott said.
About an hour earlier, roughly 1,300 miles west, California Governor Gavin Newsom admonished citizens for flocking to the Pacific over the weekend, which led to images of beaches packed with frolickers. He said his stay-home order would stand, and encouraged people to be patient: “The only thing that could set us back is our individual collective behavior.”