Texas Governor Greg Abbott has announced that the state-wide mask mandate will be lifted and that businesses can open 100% starting March 2. According to Governor Abbott, “Under no circumstances can a county judge put anyone in jail for not following COVID orders and no penalties can be imposed for failing to wear a face mask. Today’s announcement ensures Texans can tap into their own self-reliance to seize the opportunities our state has to offer.”
Even though businesses can open at 100% capacity, restrictions can be implemented at the county level. However, all businesses must be able to operate at least at a 50% capacity. According to Governor Abbott, “If businesses want to limit capacity or implement additional safety protocols they have the right to do so, it is their business and they get to choose how to operate their business the way they want to. Businesses don’t need the state telling them how to operate.”
Abbott said that it is safe to open up Texas at full capacity because there are COVID-19 vaccines, medicines to treat those who have COVID-19, and a large amount of PPE and COVID-19 tests.
However, this removal of restrictions is not permanent. Abbott says that if there is a surge in COVID-19 hospitalizations in any of the 22 hospital regions where they reach 15% of hospital capacity for seven straight days, then a county judge can enact COVID-19 restrictions.
Health professionals are saying that it is too soon to lift the mask mandate. According to Dallas County Health and Human Services Director Dr. Philip Huang, “It’s still too early. We would love to be able to get back to normal, but with all the variables that are out there, we still have a lot more people that need to be vaccinated. It’s not the time to relax.” And according to Dr. Chris Powell with Health Care Associates of Texas, “We are happy with the Governor’s decision [to] give freedoms back to the people to be responsible, but people need to still exercise their responsibilities and respect the decisions of business owners that can continue to make their own choices. Our mask policy existed before the state mandate and it will exist after. As a healthcare business we have a higher concentration of COVID patients as well as people at risk for COVID. We will continue to make decisions to protect our staff and patients that enter our facilities."
People in the medical field are not the only ones speaking against the lifting of the mask mandate in Texas. For example, Fort Worth Mayor Betsy Price gave the following statement: “In light of Governor Abbott’s announcement today, we will withdraw the agenda item related to a local mask order at this evening’s City Council meeting. It is my understanding that we will no longer be able to issue a local mask order, and our current local mask order will expire today. We are still assessing how the executive order will impact various City services.”
Mayor Price continued, “It is heartening to see hospitalization rates move in an encouraging direction as more and more people receive their COVID-19 vaccine. Normalcy is on the horizon, but it is so important to keep in mind we are not out of the woods just yet. Personal responsibility remains key, and I continue to encourage residents of Fort Worth to do the same thing I have encouraged for the last year – support your community by doing all you can to keep yourself and those around you safe.”
Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick released a statement in favor of Gov. Abbott’s decision to reopen Texas. “The Texas economy is coming back stronger than ever and Governor Greg Abbott’s announcement today will help us restore the livelihoods of millions of Texas even faster. Texas has proved what I have said throughout this long year of the pandemic — we can do two things at once — maintain our economy and fight COVID-19. Today, Texas is one step closer to a return to normalcy.”
How this lifting of restrictions will affect the spread of COVID-19 and the number of hospitalizations remains to be seen. So far, in Texas, about 42,000 people have died from the novel coronavirus. Texas has the third-highest number of COVID-19 deaths behind California and New York.
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