DALLAS (1080 KRLD) - Texas is beginning Phase One of Governor Greg Abbott's plan to reopen, just one day after the state's single day high for COVID-19 deaths.
Many lawmakers say Governor Abbott is jumping the gun, but Texas House Speaker Dennis Bonnen disagrees.
"Our rate of positives has decreased from above 10 percent to about 7 percent," Bonnen said. "The number of positives is important, but what's truly indicative of how we're performing is the percentage."
Bonnen says the Texas economy needs to reopen because economic despair can cause a health crisis of its own.
"The economic crisis can create just as much depression, suicide, domestic violence, drug abuse ..." he said. "So we are fighting for Texans' health."
Things will not be able to return to normal for awhile, and even then Bonnen says he doesn't think everything will. He says some things will be likely be changed for good. As far as reopening the state goes, Bonnen says Texans get to control how successful the process is.
"This is a very difficult thing that we're trying to accomplish, but Texans are in control," he said. "They decide if they're going to social distance, they decide if they're going to wash their hands regularly, they decide if they're going to wear a mask. Texans are in control."
In the future, Bonnen says he hopes people will continue to be conscious of spreading germs. But for now, he says the long-term effects of the pandemic are uncertain. "Only time will tell, for us to truly know what the long-term changes will be."
