Texas gov. lifts mask mandate, opens businesses
Betting that the worst of the pandemic is history - Texas Governor Greg Abbott on Tuesday announced that all businesses can reopen at full capacity and that masks will no longer be required.
“I'm issuing a new executive order that rescinds most of the earlier executive orders. Effective next Wednesday, all businesses of any type are allowed to open 100 percent. Also I'm ending the statewide mask mandate.”
Abbott’s executive order marks the furthest any U.S. state has gone to roll back tough restrictions on businesses and residents.
But, the governor on Tuesday said Texans still had a ‘personal responsibility’ to control the spread:
“...It’s just that now state mandates are no longer needed.”
The easing of restrictions in Texas come as the number of new infections nationwide has fallen sharply in recent weeks…
Though health officials warn it is too soon to roll back mandates, and Democrats in Texas’ largest county pushed back on the move.
Harris County Judge Lina Hidalgo:
"But this is not the time to give up. I wish as much as anyone that we were done, that we were almost at herd immunity, with a majority of people vaccinated. And I can tell you I'm working day and night, and my team is working day and night, weekends, on getting those vaccines out the door but we're just not there yet.”
Masks are still considered the best first line of defense against COVID.
And - White House COVID-19 adviser Andy Slavitt on Tuesday told CNN he hopes Abbott with rethink the lifting of the mask mandate.
