During the COVID-19 pandemic, Abbott implemented a stay-at-home order from April 2 to May 1, 2020. This was one of the shortest stay-at-home orders implemented by any governor. Since the reopening, coronavirus surged across Texas, leading Abbott to pause the gradual re-opening. On June 24, 2020, Texas broke its record in terms of number of new coronavirus cases in a day. Critics described Abbott's pause as a half-measure, arguing that he should reverse the re-opening in full to stave off the spread of the virus.