In a press conference on Tuesday, Governor Abbott gave an update on businesses and the state of the oil and gas markets.
He said more guidance on opening of businesses will be announced on April 27.
If you are looking for work, you can check out www.workintexas.com.
He also mentioned specific sites for jobs in Brazos Valley and in Central Texas.
In terms of the oil industry, he said that the current state of oil raises economic challenges for Texas, and he has been talking to the White House on how to deal with this issue. He said they are looking at strategies to deal with the surplus of supply.
He said there are ongoing discussions to deal with the supply, and he said the president has made it clear he cares about the effects of this issue.
Abbott also gave an update on how COVID-19 numbers were progressing in the state. He said about 200,000 COVID-19 tests have been administrated.
He added that a little over 19,000 Texans have tested positive, or about 10 percent of the tests administrated.
The Texas National Guard is mobilizing 25 teams that will assist with COVID-19 testing. There are also numerous drive-thru testing facilities opening up throughout the state. He specifically mentioned AdventHealth's drive-thru testing center in Killeen.
He said the recovery rate in Texas is exceeding the rate of those that test positive for COVID-19.
Abbott said that as of the press conference, 1,579,000 unemployment claims have been filled - paying out $1.4 billion. He said that 80 percent claims have been paid out.
He also urged healthcare workers to sign up for the Texas Volunteer Registry. He said you will get a choice to volunteer for a specific assignment.
SNAP recipients can learn more about their online tools and availability at yourtexasbenefits.com.