BEAUMONT, Texas — Southeast Texas has reached the tipping point. Under Governor Greg Abbott's executive order, there have been too many COVID-19 patients in the hospital for too long.
Tuesday is the first day local businesses have had to scale back operations.
Restaurants are scaling back to 50 percent capacity, and bars that haven't reclassified as a restaurant will have to close.
For new restaurants like the Toasted Yolk Café in Beaumont, it feels like they keep striking out at the plate.
"It seems like every time good is starting to go your way, it just comes back and knocks you down until you get back going in that direction," said Bret Baumgartner, Owner of Toasted Yolk Café.
The latest switch came Tuesday morning after businesses were forced to scale back as a result of the region's high hospitalization rate. The Toasted Yolk owner said dropping the occupancy down to 50 percent will be tough.
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"That reduction hurts, I think, anybody,” Baumgartner said. “For us, I can't afford to not open the doors, so that's why we're bringing the tables outside. We're gonna try to figure out ways as best as possible."
Along with businesses' occupancy dropping from 75 percent, elective surgeries have been suspended and bars are to-go only across Southeast Texas
"When you surpass that seven-day threshold, you know, these are the consequences, what has to happen," said Jefferson County spokesperson, Allison Getz.
Getz said they are hopeful these measure can improve the strain on our hospitals and medical workers, but at the end of the day, everyone must do their part.
"It's not hard to wear a mask, to stay six feet away from somebody and to wash your hands,” Baumgartner said. “It's just not that difficult, and whether you believe that it works or it doesn't, I think this is just a time where we need to do it."
Baugartner said the restaurant is in this for the long haul, regardless of what the pandemic throws at them.
"We're gonna go down swinging, if we go down. We are staying up,” Baumgartner said.
For businesses to return operating at 75 percent occupancy, the areas hospitalization must be under 15 percent for seven consecutive days.
