Greg Abbott on Thursday issued an executive order that will close schools, restaurants, bars and gyms in an effort to stop the spread of the deadly coronavirus. It does not prohibit people from going to the grocery store, gas stations, banks or parks, he said. She can be reached at: tweinberg@star-telegram.com, red zone if during the last week they reported new cases above 100 per 100,000 residents or a positivity rate of over 10%, reduced restaurant capacity to 50% nearly three weeks ago, allow local officials to approve larger gatherings, less than 20 active cases to opt out of the mask mandate, medical advisers told the Houston Chronicle, Texas had yet to meet its goal of 4,000 contact tracers, has only about 100 tracers who are struggling to reach the contacts, denied Tarrant County Public Health Director Vinny Tanejas request for funds, document prepared for the White House Coronavirus Task Force, unable to secure an appointment through the countys public health test sites, still waiting over 10 days to receive test results back, recent demand for tests has constrained their capabilities, have called on Abbott to order stricter measures, was essentially a statewide stay-at-home order in late March, subsequent executive orders have superseded local ones, they have absolutely refused to enforce the restrictions in place, suspended elective medical procedures in more than 100 Texas counties across the state, Testing and tracing are needed to stop COVID. The company said it has $250 million in funding that will allow it to reopen some locations. The varied approach frustrated some local officials, who warned that their own strict rules could be undermined by neighboring counties with more lax restrictions. Many private schools already had shut their doors over coronavirus concerns, she said. This 1.1 million-member jump came on the heels of a hot 2019. Updated: 3.7.22. As of today, that order is lifted. Bars were permitted to reopen at 25% occupancy. Abbott reduced restaurant capacity to 50% nearly three weeks ago, in addition to shutting down bars and closing rafting and tubing businesses. States like California, Texas and Florida, the three most-populated in the U.S., also largely avoided serious impacts during the earlier surge, which primarily hit densely populated areas of the Northeast as well as cities like New Orleans and Detroit. - Patrons cannot dine in at restaurants or bars, though they are encouraged to order food from local eateries for delivery or takeout. HOUSTON - Life Time Fitness clubs across the country are closing Monday night based on recent orders and advisories from federal, state and local governmental authorities regarding COVID-19, according to an email sent out by the company on Monday afternoon. Given the rapid infection rate of this disease and the likelihood itll spread very quickly, extending those benefits also makes a lot of sense, Downey said. Thank you for your continued patience and understanding as we continue to monitor this situation. Working out at the gym can possibly lead to coronavirus exposure. The last time that happened was in 1901, in response to smallpox, officials said. Thank you for your continued patience and understanding as we continue to monitor this situation. "While the COVID-19-related closures have caused us to reassess the viability of some company-owned locations and make the difficult decision to permanently close about 30 gyms, we know that we will emerge from this stronger and ready to grow. Abbott issued an executive order, calling on state residents to followCDC guidelines and stay at home, with an exception for a need to obtain essential services. What was considered an essential vis--visnon-essential businesses, was ultimately left up to the counties. Man, woman shot in grocery store parking lot in SE Houston, police say, Armed carjacking suspect leads police on dangerous chase, Do not to buy Raspberry Rally cookies from eBay, Girl Scouts say. as well as other partner offers and accept our. The gyms hundreds of locations will be closed until at least April 1, the company detailed on their website. 1001 N. Beckley Ave., DeSoto. She previously worked for the San Antonio Express-News and in New Hampshire, as the statehouse reporter for the Concord Monitor. Still reeling from the COVID-19 pandemic, the 24 Hour Fitness chain filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection June 15 and has permanently closed more than 130 locations in the U.S., including 11 . Dallas-Fort Worth residents have recounted being unable to secure an appointment through the countys public health test sites that are completely booked out and are still waiting over 10 days to receive test results back from private labs. When the. A list including those can be found here. Those measures include closing bars and gyms, restricting indoor dining, avoiding gatherings, and using masks outdoors when around others, according to the report written by Dr. Rajesh R. Nandy, associate professor of biostatistics and epidemiology at the Health Science Centers School of Public Health. When asked about delays in testing Thursday, Abbott attributed slow turnaround times to private labs, like Quest Diagnostics. Expiration dates on class series have been frozen until at least April 30, Reddy said. Abbott announced last week that Omnicare, a CVS Health company, will be providing same-day testing for nursing home and assisted living facility staff and residents across Texas. By signing up you agree to our Terms of Service and Privacy Policy, Stand with us in our mission to discover and uncover the story of North Texas, To avoid completely stressed out hospitals, North Texas should close bars, gyms, report says, Connect with needs and opportunities from. From grocery stores to restaurants, to gyms, nearly two months after Texas businesses began reopening, a growing list have closed again because of the coronavirus. Dining room occupancyfor restaurants hadbe reduced from75% to 50% starting June 29. Is Dallas becoming unaffordable due to rising housing costs, inflation and stagnating pay? Abbotts order also calls for gyms and massage parlors to close temporarily. Offices and workplaces can remain open, but employees should be allowed to work from home if feasible, Abbott said. The North Texas region, which serves 8 million people, lists 110 available ICU beds. Click here to see the complete list of 24 Hour Fitness locations closing across the country. The document also recommends a significant ramp up in testing and contract tracing, two containment strategies that public health experts say are essential to limit the virus spread. For how long? conversations about it, Rogers said, emphasizing the importance of wearing a mask. No Comments . Planet Fitness is offering free workouts on Facebook Live to get moving and beat stress during the ongoing outbreak. An exception was made for northern parts of the state and the Upper Peninsula, which havent been hit as hard as places like Detroit. Based in Austin, she covers all things policy and politics with a focus on Tarrant County. Our goal is to reopen March 31, the gym said in a statement. Theres nothing likea good workoutto combat coronavirus-related anxieties but are trips to thegymsafe amid the ongoingCOVID-19pandemic? Abbott issued a proclamation to renew the disaster declaration that he issued on March 13 for all 254 Texas counties. Business Insider compiled a list of 32 closing locations from local news reports and individual locations' Facebook pages. All schools in Texas will be temporarily closed, though Abbott said superintendents should work with the state to continue online or additional education options.. Gold's Gym Permanently Closing 30 Locations, 5 in North Texas, As Coronavirus Hits Fitness Industry Hard. At Powerhouse Gym in Houston, the floor is lined with red tape markers, which show the social distancing requirements of six feet between equipment. Part of what Quest Diagnostics has been testing has been doing nursing home testing, Abbott said, stressing that testing is being pushed to local labs. He is a graduate of the University of Texas at Dallas. (iStock). Gold's Gym is closing more than 30 locations across the US, the company announced on Wednesday. - All schools are closed, including private ones. In Arizona, bars, gyms, movie theaters and water parks have closed down, after an order from Gov. Theres a lot of margin for that. The closures include locations in Alabama, Colorado, Missouri, Texas, Oklahoma, North Carolina, and South Carolina. Kevin Nevels, chairman of the Coppell Chamber of Commerce board of trustees and owner of the Coppell Taekwondo Academy, said he had mixed feelings about the mandated closures. Our overall concern is health and safety, that is the No. It's unclear how many COVID-19 cases have come from the facility. Officials in many of Texas largest metro areas have called on Abbott to order stricter measures and reinstate their ability to issue local stay-at-home orders. The more than 150,000-square-foot athletic resort opens to all members Oct. 28, 2019. According to a press release, Gold's Gym said it has temporarily closed all company-owned Gold's Gym . A number of measures including closing bars and gyms must be enacted to prevent North Texas hospitals from reaching capacity and slow the spread of COVID-19 . We encourage wearing a mask if it makes your experience at Fitness Connection more comfortable. With COVID-19 cases in Texas increasing by the thousands eachday and hospital capacity in danger of being overrun in some urban centers, on June 26, Gov. But statewide guidance was needed, said Davia Downey, an associate professor of public administration at Grand Valley State University in Michigan. complete list of 24 Hour Fitness locations closing. Under the plan,retail stores, restaurants, movie theaters, malls, museums and librarieswould bepermitted to reopen under25% capacity onMay 1. He currently covers breaking news and weather. National gym chain 24 Hour Fitness filed for bankruptcy on Monday (June 15) and said they expect to close 100 locations across the country. It doesnt even have to be a huge gathering, Nandy said. A representative for Gold's Gym declined to comment on the specific locations included on this list. If the North Texas area reaches that threshold, bars would be ordered to close, non-essential businesses such as restaurants and retail stores would have to cut down capacity to 50% from the current 75% limit, and elective surgery procedures would again be postponed. A spokesperson for Gov. Nevels said he was thankful to Abbott for allowing restaurants with mixed-beverage permits to deliver alcohol. Tap the arrow button to replay the animation. The state also has power to more easily order people into quarantine, after the leader of the Texas Department of State Health Services declared a public health disaster Thursday. On the day his order was issued, more than 3,200 cases of coronavirus were confirmed and over 40 deaths. Nandy also recommended those who are planning to get tested before seeing family for Thanksgiving get a polymerase chain reaction, or PCR, test, which is considered the most accurate. In Miami-Dade County, the mayor announced that all restaurants would have to again close for dine-in service, while gyms, fitness centers, ballrooms, banquet facilities, party venues and short-term rentals would also have to shut down. Rogers said there are reports of sick athletes and staff. Abbotts executive order takes effect overnight Friday and lasts through April 3. This decision affects only company-owned gyms, mainly in our St. Louis, Alabama and Colorado Springs markets, and does not have an impact on any of our franchise-owned gyms. Texas has seen nearly 176,000 positive cases, Abbott urges residents to stay at home, does not issue formal 'stay-at-home' order, first of three phases of his reopening plan on April 27, permitted to reopen under 50% capacityJune 3, Restaurants allowed to reopen at 75% capacity, Abbott saysCOVID-19 spike 'unacceptable,' butreclosing economy is 'last option, Abbott pauses reopenings, limits elective surgeries, Bars closed, restaurant capacity reduced to 50%, Coconuts' alcohol license suspended over COVID-19 violations, El Paso bar's alcohol license suspended due to COVID-19 violations, Your California Privacy Rights / Privacy Policy. Abbott mandated the wearing of masks in public spaces for residentsin counties with 20 or more cases. Here is the latest advice. When Texas closed, reopened and closed again during COVID-19 Nate Chute El Paso Times 0:00 1:09 In the four months since coronavirus began to spread in Texas, Gov. "As a result of this restructuring, we will gain financial strength and flexibility to accelerate our business transformation plan, which includes reinvestment in our existing clubs, opening new clubs and introducing several new innovative products and services that will enhance the fitness experience for our club members and guests for many years to come," CEO Tony Ueber said in a statement. Well use every tool at our disposal to do that.. Never did we imagine a day where wed have to close the doors to 99 studios and countless riders who turn to SoulCycle for a safe space. Shutdowns will not lead to the positive results that some people think.. (iStock). A California native and graduate of the University of Missouri, shes made her way across the U.S. and landed in Texas in May 2019. believe we get stronger as a community when we share information and have First published on June 15, 2020 / 8:27 AM. This is not a stay-at-home strategy," he said, "this is a standard based upon essential services and essential activities.". We are doing this now, today, so we can get back to business as usual more quickly, he said. The document recommends that Texas officials recruit more contact tracers, ensure that all cases are contacted, and that positive households be tested within 24 hours. Drive-through ordering is also still allowed. HOUSTON, Texas (KTRK) -- For weeks, gyms in Texas have been closed in ordinance with the governors order aimed at controlling the spread of the coronavirus. Limit exposure, eat quietly, and mask up. Even without a shutdown, Nandy said Texans should take more personal responsibility and be more vigilant. Rapid tests, Nandy cautioned, are good at finding positive cases, but can also often produce false negatives. Due to theprolonged spike in positive COVID-19 cases and hospitalizations, Gov. The best thing the state can do to ensure all unemployed people get back to work is to bend the curve and slow transmission of the virus, Abbott said. Jesus Jimenez began working for The Dallas Morning News in 2018. A post shared by Orangetheory Fitness (@orangetheory) on Mar 13, 2020 at 5:36pm PDT. 0 . Last week, Dallas County Judge Clay Jenkins forwarded a letter from the countys public health committee to Abbott, calling for the closure of bars, indoor dining, capacity reductions at non-essential businesses, and eliminating loopholes that allow bars to re-open as restaurants. All Texans need to follow these directives in order to slow the spread of #COVID19 and best protect the public health.. Our entire organization is committed to your health and well-being We are tirelessly working to see how we can help you and our communities in any way we can, including whether we can repurpose our facilities to become a resource or service centers for our members, Akradi said. A day after powerful thunderstorms, North Texas surveys the damage, 3 children killed, 2 wounded at Ellis County home; suspect in custody, How a Texas districts reaction to school shooting fears highlights discipline concerns, Carrollton man advertised pills on social media to entice teens to buy fentanyl, feds say. If we were to shut down for two weeks as some people are asking, once we open back up, you would then begin to see things spread again, Abbott told KTRK-TV in Houston on Tuesday. We were NEW: @UNTHSC is projecting "a total COVID related death count of 2600 in the next 14 days in Texas.