The summer months are a popular time for brides to tie the knot. As Texas loosens its restrictions and begins to reopen, wedding ceremonies and receptions are now possible again — with certain guidelines in place.
On Tuesday afternoon, Gov. Greg Abbott announced an amendment to his executive order that will allow these types of special events to resume immediately.
Below a breakdown of what those guidelines are:
- Wedding ceremonies held at an indoor venue, other than a church or house of worship is only allowed 25% occupancy.
- Facilities hosting wedding receptions must limit their occupancy to 25% of the total listed occupancy. These occupancy limits do not apply to the outdoor areas of a wedding reception or to outdoor wedding receptions.
- Ceremonies must follow the same rules as church services. This means every other row must be blocked off and only members of the same household should six together at tables.
- Tables should be spaced six feet apart from one another and guests should practice social distancing.
During the news conference Tuesday, the governor reminded Texas that this is permission for venues to open and not a requirement.
Abbott also urged residents 65 and older or those considered high-risk to stay home.
"We strongly encourage at-risk populations to watch or participate remotely," Abbott said.
MORE ON REOPENING TEXAS
Coronavirus symptoms
The symptoms of coronavirus can be similar to the flu or a bad cold. Symptoms include a fever, cough and shortness of breath, according to the Centers for Disease Control. Some patients also have nausea, body aches, headaches and stomach issues. Losing your sense of taste and/or smell can also be an early warning sign.
Most healthy people will have mild symptoms. A study of more than 72,000 patients by the Centers for Disease Control in China showed 80 percent of the cases there were mild.
But infections can cause pneumonia, severe acute respiratory syndrome, kidney failure and even death, according to the World Health Organization. Older people with underlying health conditions are most at risk for becoming seriously ill. However, U.S. experts are seeing a significant number of younger people being hospitalized, including some in ICU.
The CDC believes symptoms may appear anywhere from two to 14 days after being exposed.
Human coronaviruses are usually spread through...
- The air by coughing or sneezing
- Close personal contact, such as touching or shaking hands
- Touching an object or surface with the virus on it, then touching your mouth, nose or eyes before washing your hands.
Help stop the spread of coronavirus
- Stay home when you are sick.
- Eat and sleep separately from your family members
- Use different utensils and dishes
- Cover your cough or sneeze with your arm, not your hand.
- If you use a tissue, throw it in the trash.
- Follow social distancing
Lower your risk
- Wash your hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds. If soap and water are not available, use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer.
- Avoid touching your eyes, nose, and mouth with unwashed hands.
- Avoid close contact with people who are sick.
- Clean and disinfect frequently touched objects and surfaces.
- If you are 60 or over and have an underlying health condition such as cardiovascular disease, diabetes or respiratory illnesses like asthma or COPD, the World Health Organization advises you to try to avoid crowds or places where you might interact with people who are sick.
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