Gov. Greg Abbott says it’s time to re-open businesses in Texas and remove the state’s mask mandate.
“It is now time to open Texas 100%,” Abbott said in Lubbock, joined by Lubbock business leaders at Montelongo’s Mexican Restaurant. “Everybody who wants to work should have the opportunity. Every business that wants to be open should be open.”
The announcement comes after Abbott hinted that his COVID-19 orders could soon be lifted. On Monday, sharing a tweet about his approval ratings, Abbott teased that “exciting news” was coming Tuesday.
Abbott’s regular updates on guidelines for business operations have slowed since October, when he issued an executive order permitting most businesses to operate at 75% capacity. There are some exceptions, such as salons, where there’s no occupancy limit but there are health guidelines. Bars, which are open in Tarrant County, can operate at 50% capacity with county judge approval.
The rollback of business operations is triggered by an area’s COVID hospitalization rate.
Abbott’s statewide mask mandate has been in effect since July.
“Wearing a face covering in public is proven to be one of the most effective ways we have to slow the spread of COVID-19,” Abbott said at the time in a statement. “We have the ability to keep businesses open and move our economy forward so that Texans can continue to earn a paycheck, but it requires each of us to do our part to protect one another — and that means wearing a face covering in public spaces.”
The number of new COVID-19 cases and hospitalizations in Texas have been trending down in recent weeks.
The Texas Department of State Health Services on Monday reported 1,637 confirmed cases of the virus and 59 fatalities. The state reported Monday that nearly 1.9 million people are fully vaccinated against COVID-19 — 6.5% of Texans.
Ahead of his news conference, Abbott touted that Texas on Tuesday will report “a new one day record for the number of people receiving vaccines — more than 216,000.”
Absolutely reckless. https://t.co/3O5GsbSLpM
— Gavin Newsom (@GavinNewsom) March 2, 2021
It’s premature to roll back COVID-19 rules, said Dr. Peter Hotez, a vaccine expert and dean for the National School of Tropical Medicine in the Baylor College of Medicine in Houston.
“The science says we can vaccinate our way out of this epidemic, and I think in time, as people start getting vaccinated, what will likely happen is that will allow masks to come off, for instance.” Hotez told Houston’s KOHU. “Not right now. We don’t have the full evidence base for it, but it’s moving in that direction.”
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has recommended masks be worn in public settings as a barrier against respiratory droplets that could spread COVID-19.
History shows local officials are limited in their ability to go against Abbott’s executive orders related business operations.
In El Paso, County Judge Ricardo Samaniego tried to go beyond Abbott’s order as the community grappled with spiking COVID-19 cases and hospitalizations. El Paso County was sued by Texas after shuttering non-essential businesses. Ultimately a state appellate court sided with Attorney General Ken Paxton’s office, and El Paso’s non-essential businesses were allowed to remain open.
“If conduct is allowed under the Governor’s order, that County cannot prohibit it,” an order from Texas’ Eighth Court of Appeals reads. “If activities are prohibited by the Governor’s order, the County cannot allow them.”
The Texas Supreme Court sided with the state after Austin and Travis County tried to close dine-in food and beverage services from 10:30 p.m. to 6 a.m. from Dec. 31 through Jan. 3.
Ahead of his Tuesday announcement at least two lawmakers wrote to Abbott asking the state’s face cover requirement remain in place.
The letters from State Rep. Richard Peña Raymond, D-Laredo, State Rep. Vikki Goodwin, D-Austin, expressed concerns over COVID-19 variants that are highly transmissible.
Repealing the order will cause more coronavirus cases, hospitalizations and deaths, the letters — which largely mirror each other — read.
“As the coronavirus pandemic continues to afflict the state, we must remain vigilant in addressing and containing the virus through coordinated, carefully considered action,” Raymond said in his March 1 letter. “To that end, your commitment to upholding as mask mandate is essential.”
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The lockdowns never should have happened in the first place. Do we have a test for all of those who lost their businesses, the suicides of children and adults, the depression, child and spousal abuse? I know of one young lady who has not seen her mother in one year. She is in a nursing home. Another lady whose elderly parents are in assisted living who can only drive by and wave at them. This has been going on for a year. One man stopped worshipping God and has been home for a year now. Another woman whose husband had a stroke has not been able to see him for over six months. None of these leaders counted the cost of their edicts, and in fact enjoyed wielding power. As though adults could not do for themselves.
But we did notice the Gavin Newsom’s and Cuomos of the country going about their business normally, but woe betide their constituents.
Lockdowns are just political payback to Bezos at Amazon so you have to buy online and make him rich along with Bill Gates and others who bought the last stolen election for the Democrats in backdoor campaign donations. These monoploies need to be crushed so the small businesses can again propser, and live to defy the socialists who seek to destroy them in one world government. My democrat neighbors drove 2 hours each way to Ft worth and had to wait an additional 4 hours to get the COVID vaccination. My lady and I drove 50 mins to Republican run Paris Texas and got the shot in 5 minutes, and only had to witi 15 mins to see if reaction before they let us leave What a difference a Democrat makes whose COVID CHinese Virus handling looks more like a Chinese Fire Drill.
AND NOTE< which companies have been sporting RECORD Earnings..
“The letters from State Rep. Richard Peña Raymond, D-Laredo, State Rep. Vikki Goodwin, D-Austin, expressed concerns over COVID-19 variants that are highly transmissible”. The Democrats are “variants” of the worst nightmare anyone can have. They should make a horror movie called “Democrat Communist Variants” or “How We Communist Democrat Variants Are Malignant Cancers”.
DID you notice in the news, over 1,000 of those ILLEGAL INVADERS that biden’s already had processed through, HAVE HAD COVID>??
Abbott is a flip-flopper who caters to leftists, and only does the right thing when the political winds would blow him off his throne if he didn’t do the right thing. I’d trade Ron Desantis any day for our foot-dragging Governor… no pun intended.