Texas Gov. Abbott Announces Plan to End State Mask Mandate and More

Gov. Greg Abbott announced his plans to open Texas “100%” by next week. This comes almost a year after COVID-19 first started spreading throughout the country and in different places around the world.

The Republican governor announced his plans of issuing an executive order, which will rescind previous orders implemented in the state. By next Wednesday, all businesses in Texas will now have permission to fully reopen. On top of this, the mask mandate in the state will be nullified.

Abbott stated that rescinding these orders “does not end personal responsibility,” in connection to his decisions. He reminded people to have “personal vigilance” and to continue following the safety precautions required to limit the spread of COVID-19. Abbott then explained that the removal of the orders just means that they’re no longer needed.

The Texas governor then mentioned several positive data findings while laying out the state’s plan for reopening. These findings include a decrease in active COVID-19 cases and hospital treatments. They also included the lowest positivity rate recorded in Texas in months.

In connection to this, Abbott also mentioned that vaccinations contributed a lot to Texas’ ability to reopen safely. He added that health officials are expecting 7 million more doses to be distributed across Texas by next Wednesday.

Abbott then said that they expect all seniors to have the ability to receive shots when they want to “in the next few months.”

Up Next:

• Texas Electricity Provider Brazos Files Chapter 11 Bankruptcy after Winter Storm Disaster
• CDC Updates Coronavirus Guidelines: Time for Double Masking
• Travelers Not Wearing Masks Could Receive a $1,500 Fine