This archive report was first published on 3 July 2020.
On the eve of the July 4 holiday weekend, Texas Governor Greg Abbott issued a new order requiring face coverings in public spaces across the state.
The order applies to counties with 20 or more confirmed COVID-19 cases, as of July 3, 2020, when the order was issued.
Abbott's office stated that the order aims to protect Texans and allow businesses to remain open, while also moving the economy forward.
"We have the ability to keep businesses open and move our economy forward so that Texans can continue to earn a paycheck, but it requires each of us to do our part to protect one another -- and that means wearing a face covering in public spaces," Abbott said, citing the effectiveness of masks in slowing the spread of the coronavirus.
Additionally, the governor banned gatherings of more than 10 people and mandated social distancing of six feet (two meters).
These new restrictions come as Texas reported a record 8,076 coronavirus cases in 24 hours, surpassing the previous record high by 1,000 cases.
Overall, Texas has recorded more than 175,000 coronavirus cases, with the situation in Houston, the state's fourth-largest city, showing a sharp decline in the past two weeks.
