Texas to end mask mandate & lift Covid rules

[Still Waters]

Texas will lift its mask mandate and allow businesses to reopen at full capacity next week, Governor Greg Abbott has announced.

"It is now time to open Texas 100%," the Republican said on Tuesday.

Texas is the largest US state to end its mask mandate. Mr Abbott has faced criticism from his party over the measure, which was imposed last July.

More than 42,000 people have died with Covid in Texas since the start of the pandemic.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-56255701

[Scholar4Truth]

umm not sure if that's a good idea. 

[+OverSword]

Seems a bit premature.

[Eldorado]

Houston has become the first US city to record cases of every major Covid-19 variant found in the country, amid the ongoing coronavirus pandemic.

Analysis from scientists at Houston Methodist in Texas found 28 types of Covid-19 variants in patients in the city, with the origins ranging from Brazil, the UK, California and New York City.

https://www.msn.com/en-gb/health/medical/houston-becomes-first-us-city-to-find-every-major-covid-variant/ar-BB1eabNZ?MSCC=1598422027?

[thedutchiedutch]

Risky move. It's kinda rolling the dice and see how things will work out. There are lives on the line here. Very dangerous.

[Trelane]

I'm not a fan of the move, but at the same time it was the people of that state have decided. They live with the consequences of their decisions.

[+susieice]

It was just announced that Mississippi is also following suit. We've all already seen the pictures here and in Europe of people coming out in droves as the weather gets warmer. Just like last year, people will not be kept inside as the weather gets nice. It's too early to remove mask requirements or allow large groups of people to congregate imho. It caused problems last summer. Let's keep these vaccines rolling and stay safe until we know everything will be alright for sure.

https://www.forbes.com/sites/alisondurkee/2021/03/02/texas-and-mississippi-drop-covid-19-restrictions---even-mask-mandates/?sh=632eb7814f04

[+Desertrat56]

I was just talking to a co-worker about this.   A lot of people are disappointed in Greg Abbot (some more than disappointed).   He has made one bad call after another and it seems to be politically motivated.   

[+Desertrat56]

7 minutes ago, Trelane said:

I'm not a fan of the move, but at the same time it was the people of that state have decided. They live with the consequences of their decisions.

No, it was not the people of that state.   That state is just as mixed on feelings as anywhere else and it is up to the governor to follow CDC guidelines.  He already opened the state up a few months ago and daily cases sky rocketed in 2 weeks from hundreds to thousands.

[Tatetopa]

FREEEEEEEEEEEEDOMMMMMMMMMMMM!!!!  

Ted Cruz will be proud of this.   Freedom if we use it wisely is our most valuable Right, not to be confused  with political posturing and reluctance of an entire government to cross its big benefactors.  Guess we will see what the voters think.

[+susieice]

In an unprecedented move, Drug megacompany Merck, has agreed to assist Johnson and Johnson in mass producing it's vaccine. This ups the goal to 100 million doses by the end of May. We are getting so close, this is no time to blow it now.

https://www.merck.com/news/merck-to-help-produce-johnson-barda-to-provide-merck-with-funding-to-expand-mercks-manufacturing-capacity-for-covid-19-vaccines-and-medicines/

[Katniss]

The hospitals and funeral homes in Texas are just going to love that. I hope the governor of my state doesn't follow his careless ignorance.

[+OverSword]

The truth is that the individual people in those states can choose to still mask up and keep socially distant.  

[Michelle]

1 minute ago, OverSword said:

The truth is that the individual people in those states can choose to still mask up and keep socially distant.  

Took the words right out of my mouth. 

[+Desertrat56]

6 minutes ago, OverSword said:

The truth is that the individual people in those states can choose to still mask up and keep socially distant.  

Right, but some of them are teachers who have to decide how to deal with children who come to school without masks and businesses that have the same problem, how do you decide where the line is when it is your livelihood?    Probably, like the southern states I drove through that did not have any rules at the end of summer it will be about half masked and half not.   

[+susieice]

It does mean that masks will no longer be required in any public place, like stores, restaurants, beaches or parks. No where a large group of people will gather as all the restrictions will be gone including how many people can be in a public building or facility at one time.

[spartan max2]

1 hour ago, OverSword said:

Seems a bit premature.

Yeah, for real. Within the next three months there are going to be millions of vaccinations. Texas might as well wait at this point.

[+OverSword]

15 minutes ago, Desertrat56 said:

Right, but some of them are teachers who have to decide how to deal with children who come to school without masks and businesses that have the same problem, how do you decide where the line is when it is your livelihood?    Probably, like the southern states I drove through that did not have any rules at the end of summer it will be about half masked and half not.   

I wonder if school districts will be allowed to set their own rules?  I assume this move is in the name of economics rather than because the governor thinks the covid threat is gone.

Edited March 3, 2021 by OverSword

[Michelle]

17 minutes ago, Desertrat56 said:

Probably, like the southern states I drove through that did not have any rules at the end of summer it will be about half masked and half not.

What southern states are you talking about besides Florida? For the last year my husband and I have traveled for work in North and South Carolina, Mississippi, Kentucky, Tennessee, Alabama and Georgia and about 80% of the people were wearing masks. I also took Clorox wipes with me everywhere.

Edited March 3, 2021 by Michelle

[+susieice]

Like Fauci said, this is how the virus mutates. It needs a host and a lot of unmasked people will give it plenty of places to go. Just following the precautions for a couple more months will be enough to help stop it. We can all be vaccinated by summer with Merck stepping up to help. Two drug powerhouses are doing all they can to insure it. And with just one shot needed, appointments and wait times will be halved. I sure hope people hang on just a little longer. We're almost there.

Edited March 3, 2021 by susieice

[Katniss]

27 minutes ago, OverSword said:

The truth is that the individual people in those states can choose to still mask up and keep socially distant.  

If only all of them would do that while these new coronavirus variants are spreading around. Hospitals wouldn't get packed and funeral homes wouldn't get overloaded again.

[+Desertrat56]

8 minutes ago, susieice said:

Like Fauci said, this is how the virus mutates. It needs a host and a lot of unmasked people will give it plenty of places to go. Just following the precautions for a couple more months will be enough to help stop it. We can all be vaccinated by summer with Merck stepping up to help. Two drug powerhouses are doing all they can to insure it. And with just one shot needed, appointments and wait times will be halved. I sure hope people hang on just a little longer. We're almost there.

I think a lot of people are not taking the vaccine in New Mexico because it was estimated that I would not be able to get one until June.  I didn't even bother to sign up but my friend who is the same age as I am signed up and was told it would be June before she could get the vaccine.  Yesterday she got an email that she should call and get an appointment to get the vaccine this week.   

[+susieice]

1 minute ago, Desertrat56 said:

I think a lot of people are not taking the vaccine in New Mexico because it was estimated that I would not be able to get one until June.  I didn't even bother to sign up but my friend who is the same age as I am signed up and was told it would be June before she could get the vaccine.  Yesterday she got an email that she should call and get an appointment to get the vaccine this week.   

We had the same thing here. I was having problems too. People were told there were no available appointments or were having appointments cancelled and were being told there was no vaccine available. This partnership between Johnson and Johnson and Merck should put an end to this and only requires one shot to give you a great percentage of avoiding catching covid. Or if you do, you are protected from severe illness or death. This has really moved the timeline up. 

[Michelle]

2 minutes ago, susieice said:

People were told there were no available appointments or were having appointments cancelled and were being told there was no vaccine available.

I'm going to call tomorrow. It was just announced on the news we had a huge influx of vaccines and they are lowering the requirements. A couple of people we know have just driven in without an appointment and got it in less than five minutes.

[+susieice]

1 minute ago, Michelle said:

I'm going to call tomorrow. It was just announced on the news we had a huge influx of vaccines and they are lowering the requirements. A couple of people we know have just driven in without an appointment and got it in less than five minutes.

That's great news. Hopefully we'll all have quick and easy access soon. That's what we need. In my area, even we who are older are having difficulty. Now they say everyone 18, or is it 16, and older will have access by the beginning of summer.