Several states announce first moves toward easing lockdowns
dpa
WASHINGTON — Texas Gov. Greg Abbott on Friday announced his state will start relaxing lockdown orders next week as governors elsewhere in the country also said some restrictions will be eased. Meanwhile, protests mounted against the measures that have battered the economy.
Abbott said nonessential retail businesses will start opening for pickup and delivery next Friday, while state parks will reopen with social distancing measures in place on Monday.
“We are now beginning to see glimmers that the worst of COVID-19 may soon be behind us,” Abbott said in a televised address. “We have demonstrated that we can corral the coronavirus.”
Minnesota’s governor, Tim Walz, announced golf courses will open and other outdoor activities will be permitted starting Saturday, while Vermont announced a relaxing of restrictions on construction and outdoor businesses.
President Donald Trump appeared to throw his weight behind protesters pushing back against the shutdown measures in three states with Democratic governors.
“LIBERATE MINNESOTA!” the Republican president tweeted, followed by calls to “liberate” Virginia and Michigan.
Demonstrators flouted social distancing guidelines by gathering outside the Minnesota governor’s mansion on Friday, while a few dozen protesters gathered in Virginia’s capital a day earlier.
Michigan saw one of the country’s biggest protests on Wednesday, when the streets of its capital were gridlocked by thousands of drivers rebelling against some of the nation’s toughest restrictions on travel and business.
The state’s Gov. Gretchen Whitmer on Friday said she hoped to relax some of those restrictions on May 1, while stressing data would drive decisions, as Michigan has the third-highest death rate due to the virus among the states.
Ohio, Kentucky, North Carolina and Utah were also some of the states — with both Democratic and Republican governors — that saw rallies in recent days.
Trump, who has repeatedly said he wants to reopen the economy as soon as possible, unveiled guidelines to do so on Thursday.
But he left the ultimate decision on when to move ahead with the plan to state governors.
He has clashed with governors on the matter in recent weeks, and tensions mounted again on Friday.
New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo reiterated during his daily press conference that the state could not reopen its economy without more widespread testing.
“We cannot do it without federal help,” he said, accusing Trump of “passing the buck” to states without providing funding.
Trump lashed out at Cuomo on Twitter, saying the governor “should spend more time ‘doing’ and less time ‘complaining.’ Get out there and get the job done. Stop talking!”
Cuomo responded angrily when asked about Trump’s criticism.
“If he’s sitting home watching TV, maybe he should get up and go to work,” Cuomo said.
“Let’s keep emotion and politics out of this and personal ego if we can, because this is about the people.”