Social media reacts to videos of overcrowded pool party in Houston during coronavirus pandemic

HOUSTON – Social media is reacting this weekend after videos show a jammed packed pool party in Houston.

A large number of people who didn’t appear to be social distancing or wearing masks were seen in videos at Clé Houston, a club in Midtown.

Memorial Day weekend represents the first time since mid-March that bars and clubs in Texas were allowed to reopen after mandatory COVID-19 shutdowns.

With many people experiencing cabin fever, and ready to enjoy the unofficial start of summer, some clubs and bars exceeded the 25% capacity, which is a health guideline set by the state. Restaurants, however, are allowed to operate at 50% capacity.

Since Friday, the Houston Fire Department has responded to more than 300 complaints of businesses violating the governor’s executive order, according to Chief Samuel Peña.

Some are concerned by the overpopulated establishments in Houston, including Mayor Sylvester Turner.

He announced Sunday that the city would begin to enforce capacity mandates for businesses and cite or temporarily close down businesses if they refuse to comply. This is a reversal from his previous stance to allow the state to hold businesses accountable.

“There are too many people that are coming together to some of our clubs, our bars, swimming pool parties, no social distancing, no masks,” Turner said during a press conference Sunday. “You are forcing us to step in for public health reasons to say no, we’re not going to allow that.”

Business owners and the public must work together to slow the spread of COVID-19 by following the health standards, Turner said.

“In the absence of a vaccine, we have to learn how to co-exist with this virus for now," Turner wrote on Twitter Sunday. “Crowding into any environment with no social distancing and masks will expose everyone.”

Here is some of the reaction from social media: