Texas bars can open Friday, restaurants can expand to 50 percent capacity

SAN ANTONIO (KTSA News) – Bars, wine tasting rooms, bingo halls and bowling alleys will be allowed to open Friday, May 22.   As part of Governor Greg Abbott’s Phase 2 of the reopening Texas plan, restaurants will be allowed to expand to 50 percent capacity, as long as they maintain social distancing guidelines and other restrictions to prevent the spread of COVID-19.

Child care businesses and services are allowed to reopen immediately, including programs like Boys and Girls clubs. The governor says opening the day care centers will help parents who are going back to work.

Starting May 31, youth sports camps–daytime and overnight camps– will be allowed to take place.   That includes vacation Bible School camps and scouts.

Some professional sports-pro golf, auto racing, baseball, softball, tennis and basketball can resume, as long as they adhere to safety measures and have no spectators.

School districts will have the option to open summer schools as early as June 1st.

Rules for bars are as follows; Customers should not be permitted to loiter at the bar or in commonly trafficked areas, and should remain seated at tables inside the bar.  Service will be provided to seated individuals, and parties should maintain a distance of at least six feet from others at all times.  Activities that enable close human contact, including but not limited to dancing, are discouraged.  Designate staff to ensure customers maintain a 6-foot distance between parties if customers are waiting to enter the bar or similar establishment. A hand sanitizing station should be available upon entry to the establishment.  No tables of more than 6 people will be allowed.

In dining areas, don’t leave condiments, silverware, flatware, glassware, or other traditional table top items on an unoccupied table.  Provide condiments, silverware, flatware, glassware or traditional table top items as single use.  Use disposable menus, and if a buffet is offered, bar employees should serve the food to customers.

Theme parks, such as SeaWorld and Fiesta Texas, remain closed.

The governor also put a hold on reopening plans in El Paso and Amarillo, which have seen a surge of new COVID-19 cases.

You can get more details from the governor’s strike force on reopening Texas here.