Rep. Dan Crenshaw says Houston businesses 'should not comply' with coronavirus restrictions

Restaurants can’t survive with ‘oppression’ of coronavirus restrictions: Former McDonald’s USA CEO

Former McDonald’s USA CEO Ed Rensi discusses the restaurant industry struggling to stay afloat amid the coronavirus pandemic.

As COVID-19 hospitalizations in the region surrounding Houston continue to rise, Rep. Dan Crenshaw, R-Texas, is arguing that businesses in the area "should not comply" with any new restrictions, claiming lockdowns are "unconstitutional edicts" that are not supported by law.

Continue Reading Below

"Law enforcement should not enforce this." Crenshaw wrote in a tweet Tuesday. "Stop stealing people’s right to make a living."

COVID'S ECONOMIC FALLOUT COULD ELEVATE US MORTALITY RATE FOR YEARS, STUDY SHOWS

Hospital capacity in Trauma Service Area Q, which is made up of Harris, Fort Bend, Montgomery, Austin, Colorado, Matagorda, Walker, Waller and Wharton counties, has been above 15% from Dec. 29 to Jan. 4 due to COVID-19, according to data from the Texas Department of Health,

A recent executive order by Gov. Greg Abbott states that bars must close, hospitals must postpone elective surgeries and restaurants and other business establishments must reduce operating capacity from 75% to 50% in any area where a trauma service center has seven consecutive days in which hospital capacity exceeds 15%.

A spokesperson for Abbott did not immediately return FOX Business' request for comment.

CLICK HERE TO READ MORE ON FOX BUSINESS

KHOU-TV reported that doctors at Houston Methodist Hospital are expecting that the latest surge in coronavirus hospitalizations won't crest and decrease for several weeks.

"Honestly, this is just another milestone on the road to a catastrophe unless each of us acts, Harris County Judge Lina Hidalgo said.

Texas "can't rely on a small occupancy rollback" and urged county residents to do their part to limit the virus's spread, she added that.

GET FOX BUSINESS ON THE GO BY CLICKING HERE

There are 13,308 COVID-19 hospitalizations throughout the state of Texas, and there are 10,981 available hospital beds and 626 available intensive care unit beds left.

In Trauma Service Area Q, there are 2,615 COVID-19 hospitalizations, and there are 1,944 available hospital beds and 94 available ICU beds.

Source: Read Full Article