Governor Greg Abbott issued an Executive Order (GA-34) on March 2, lifting the mask mandate in Texas and increasing capacity of all businesses and facilities in the state to 100 percent. The Governor made the announcement while in Lubbock in an address to the Lubbock Chamber of Commerce.
“With the medical advancements of vaccines and antibody therapeutic drugs, Texas now has the tools to protect Texans from the virus,” said Abbott. “We must now do more to restore livelihoods and normalcy for Texans by opening Texas 100 percent. Make no mistake, COVID-19 has not disappeared, but it is clear from the recoveries, vaccinations, reduced hospitalizations, and safe practices that Texans are using that state mandates are no longer needed. Today’s announcement does not abandon safe practices that Texans have mastered over the past year. Instead, it is a reminder that each person has a role to play in their own personal safety and the safety of others. With this executive order, we are ensuring that all businesses and families in Texas have the freedom to determine their own destiny.”
During his remarks, the Governor cited the rapid increase of vaccines. Nearly 5.7 million vaccine shots have been administered to Texans, and the state is now administering almost one million shots each week. By next Wednesday, he said about 7 million shots will have been administered in Texas and over half of seniors in Texas will have received a vaccine shot. By the end of March, he believes every senior who wants a vaccine should be able to get one. The vaccine supply continues to increase so rapidly, and Abbott said that more and more Texans will soon be eligible to receive a vaccine.
The Governor said Texas has a surplus of personal protective equipment and can perform over 100,000 COVID-19 tests a day. The state has invested in a variety of anti-body therapeutic drugs that have kept thousands of Texans out of hospitals. Texans have also adopted daily habits that reduce the risk of COVID-19 exposure and infection. More than 2.5 million Texans who were lab confirmed for COVID-19 have recovered since the beginning of the pandemic, and experts note the total number of Texans who have recovered from COVID-19 is likely 4-5 times that amount. The number of active COVID-19 cases is the lowest since November—meaning more Texans are recovering from COVID-19 than contracting it.
This executive order rescinds most of the Governor’s earlier executive orders related to COVID-19. Effective next Wednesday, all businesses of any type may open to 100% capacity. Additionally, this order ends the statewide mask mandate in Texas. Businesses may still limit capacity or implement additional safety protocols at their own discretion.
NDG 2/25: Officials looking for answers as winter storm exposes weaknesses in critical infrastructure services
Abbott added that if COVID-19 hospitalizations in any of the 22 hospital regions in Texas get above 15% of the hospital bed capacity in that region for seven straight days, a County Judge in that region may use COVID-19 mitigation strategies. However, County Judges may not impose jail time for not following COVID-19 orders nor may any penalties be imposed for failing to wear a face mask. If restrictions are imposed at a County level, those restrictions may not include reducing capacity to less than 50% for any type of entity.
NDG 2/18: Democracy and White Privilege
The governor’s decision has drawn the ire of many opponents, who say that opening the state up full at this point could be an invitation to disaster. Democrats say that Abbott’s move flies in the face of CDC recommendations, and that there will likely be a heavy price to pay down the road.
NDG 1/28: Arnold gives update on Dallas COVID-19 vaccine program
“A death warrant for Texans,” said former senatorial candidate and Democratic activist Beto O’Rourke. “Add them to the 44,000+ killed as he failed to confront the pandemic & botched the vaccine rollout. And those who froze to death because he cares more about energy companies’ profits than keeping Texans alive. Abbott is killing the people of Texas.”
Even Fort Worth Republican Mayor Betsy Price called the move “premature,” and said she would like to see more people vaccinated before lifting the restrictions. Texas has recently seen elevated levels of infections compared to other states, and while the numbers are currently in decline, that issue has many leaders worried.
“I am more than disappointed and, in fact, stunned by the removal of the COVID-19 mandates in the State of Texas that has for many weeks been a hot spot for COVID-19,” said U.S. Rep. Shela Jackson Lee (D-TX18).
