A closer look at what happened every time Texas relaxed the rules and reopened Marcelino Benito Replay Video UP NEXT If history is any indication we likely know what will happen with COVID-19 in Texas in the next few weeks. And health experts fear it's not good at all. To understand what might happen, it's important to go back over how we got here. Through March and April of last year, Texas was nearly locked down. Stay home orders were working. The state was averaging less than 2,000 new daily cases. Statewide hospitalizations never hovered above 1,800. On April 17, Gov. Greg Abbott decided it was time to open Texas up in phases. Bars, salons, restaurants, and gyms opened again with capacity limits throughout the month of May.