HOUSTON – Sam Houston State University and the Texas State University System are aiming to hire approximately 200 COVID-19 contact tracers statewide ahead of an expected resurgence of the novel coronavirus this fall. Greg Abbott in April set a goal of employing 4,000 contact tracers by June 1 as part of his phased reopening plan. In late April, the Association of State and Territorial Health Officials estimated that Texas would need almost 9,000 contact tracers. The state partnered with the Texas State University System to “provide additional flexibility as the pandemic continues,” he said. “As it stands, there are enough contact tracers in the call center to handle the current workload,” Van Deusen said.