Abbott's Open Texas plan & what it means for you

Read the Open Texas report

Many Americans are ready to get back to work, and on April 27, Governor Abbott released his plan to Open Texas with requirements and recommendations for business owners. According to Abbott, "COVID-19 is a formidable enemy, but Texans don’t shrink from a fight. By continuing to focus on and expand our testing capabilities, Texas is surely and steadily winning that fight."

We agree with the sentiment. We have been on the front lines since the first day of the COVID-19 outbreak, and though his plan gives hope to many Texans, it is missing a few of the strategies we've found effective and are implementing with essential businesses here in Houston, namely temperature checks and specificity around medical screening. 

Our concern is that Abbott's plan will give many Texans a false sense of security--remember, there is no vaccine and no cure or even treatment that has been approved by the FDA. The antibody testing is still in the nascent phase, and Abbott points out that it is still in trials in Texas and across the nation. 

We recommend a daily health surveillance plan for employees in your business. What exactly does that mean? It's a combination of temperature checks, asking questions per the Open Texas report, and observation. 

We recommend businesses employ a third-party to screen their employees before entering your business, like WSS. But, if this is out of reach for your business, call us and we'll make sure you have access to the materials you need to keep your workforce healthy. Our goal is top Open Texas while keeping Texans healthy. 

We're here for you. 

• COVID-19 answers (updated regularly)
• Hiring during and after COVID-19
• On-site drug testing safely during COVID-19