At the beginning of the pandemic, local officials across the state implemented stay-at-home orders for their regions. But now, with cases across Texas’ metros surging, those leaders say Abbott has stripped them of the authority to reinstate the same measures.

Months into the pandemic, demand for coronavirus tests is soaring. Texans report problems with almost every facet of the testing process, starting with the glitching websites and unanswered phone lines used to schedule appointments, and extending to long lags before test results come back.