1 Governor Abbott Issues Mask Order
Texas Governor Greg Abbott has issued an Executive Order requiring all Texans to wear a face covering over the nose and mouth in public spaces in any county with 20 or more positive COVID-19 cases. Abbott says the steps need to be taken to curb the spread of coronavirus. The Governor also issued a proclamation giving mayors and county judges the ability to impose restrictions on some outdoor gatherings of over 10 people, and making it mandatory that, with certain exceptions, people cannot be in groups larger than ten and must maintain six feet of social distancing from others. "Wearing a face covering in public is proven to be one of the most effective ways we have to slow the spread of COVID-19,” said Governor Abbott. “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. Likewise, large gatherings are a clear contributor to the rise in COVID-19 cases. Restricting the size of groups gatherings will strengthen Texas’ ability to corral this virus and keep Texans safe. We all have a responsibility to slow the spread of COVID-19 and keep our communities safe. If Texans commit to wearing face coverings in public spaces and follow the best health and safety practices, we can both slow the spread of COVID-19 and keep Texas open for business. I urge all Texans to wear a face covering in public, not just for their own health, but for the health of their families, friends, and for all our fellow Texans.”
2 Attorney: Texas Soldier Killed At Fort Hood, Dismembered
Gruesome new details are out in the case of a missing soldier in Texas. An attorney for Vanessa Guillen's family says she was killed on base at Fort Hood the same day she disappeared in April. The attorney revealed this after meeting with Army investigators. She says they told her the 20-year-old was attacked by another soldier with a hammer and then dismembered. That soldier took his life this week. His wife is in custody.
3 Fauci says new mutation of coronavirus spreads quickly
The country’s top infectious disease expert said Thursday that a more infectious strain of the coronavirus may be emerging. Dr. Anthony Fauci, Director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, made the claim Thursday in an interview with The Journal of the American Medical Association. Fauci said research suggests Italy was devastated by a different strain of the coronavirus than the one that originated in Wuhan, China. The main difference between the two, Fauci said, is that Italy’s version passes from person to person more effectively, making it even more difficult to contain. “It just seems that the virus replicates better and may be more transmissible,” says Fauci. The study he references, which was released by researchers affiliated with the Sheffield COVID-19 Genomics Group, states that the new strain “has become the most prevalent form in the global pandemic.”