Texas Gov. Greg Abbott issued an executive order mandating that all Texans wear face masks if they live in a county with more than 20 cases of the new coronavirus. He also deputized local governments and courts the authority to impose restrictions on gatherings of more than 10 people, which public health experts advise against. Coronavirus cases are surging across the country, with more than 50,000 new cases reported in a single day, and especially in Texas, which had begun reopening for business as usual in recent weeks. “Wearing a face covering in public in public is proven to be one of the most effective ways we have to slow the spread of COVID-19,” Abbott said in a statement. “We have the ability to keep businesses open and move our economy forward so that Texans can continue to earn a paycheck, but it requires each of us to do our part to protect each other—and that means wearing a face covering in public spaces.”