AUSTIN (Talk1370.com) -- Bars across Travis County will remain closed for at least another two weeks, County Judge Sam Biscoe announced Tuesday.
Two weeks ago, Texas Gov. Greg Abbott issued new guidelines, allowing bars to re-open to 50% capacity in areas of the state with limited COVID-19 hospitalizations - as long as the county judge approved.
"As promised, Dr. Mark Escott and I have spent the past two weeks evaluating the COVID-19 data for Travis County," Biscoe said in a statement. "Unfortunately, we have not seen significant improvement in our hospital bed utilization or in the utilization of ICU beds. Furthermore, with school districts preparing to allow for additional in-person learning and the upcoming weekend celebrations, we must be mindful of the increased public interaction that will take place as a result. For these reasons, it is my decision not to open bars."
Across the Austin metro, judges in Hays County, Williamson County, Caldwell County, and Bastrop County have all signed off on the reopening of bars in their counties.
Biscoe said he'll revisit the decision in another two weeks.