Republican Governor of Texas Greg Abbott On Tuesday, he announced that he was lifting all coronavirus restrictions despite the deadly virus spreading across the Lone Star State.
“Too many Texans have been excluded from employment opportunities. Too many small business owners have trouble paying their bills. This has to come to an end, ”Abbott said, according to The Dallas Morning News. “Now is the time to open Texas to 100%.”
“I’m also ending the nationwide mask mandate,” said the governor, fresh from a nationwide crisis that threw millions into the freezing cold, almost in retrospect, without electricity or water. “Texans have mastered the habits so as not to get COVID.”
TEXAS – “I am placing a new executive order which will cancel most of the previous executive orders.” @ GovAbbott orders 100% of the companies in #Texas and ends the nationwide mask mandate starting next Wednesday, March 10th. Pic.twitter.com/ uALxx9cSjF
– Bree A Dail (@breeadail) March 2, 2021
Phil Huang, director of health and human services for Dallas County, calls the move “premature.”
Texas ranks 48th in vaccine delivery according to the New York Times, meaning only two states (Georgia and Utah) have vaccinated even fewer percentages of residents.
It appears that Abbott is lifting the protection for purely political reasons. On Monday night, he tweeted a new poll that found his approval rating hasn’t suffered despite the power grid disaster that resulted in dozens of deaths.
Thank you Texans for your support.
I will have some exciting news for you tomorrow. https://t.co/xX15LUwsoN
– Greg Abbott (@GregAbbott_TX) March 2, 2021
Some tie the political decision to this weekend’s CPAC conference:
If you’re curious about why Texas suddenly ended our mask mandates and COVID business restrictions, you’ve come to the right place on the CPAC Presidential Survey.
Greg Abbott received zero votes. This is not a coincidence.
What happens at CPAC matters.
– Kenny Webster @ (@KenWebsterII) March 2, 2021
CNN On Air Reports Houston is the first US city to log all major variants in the coronavirus.
The internet was stunned.
Journalist David Gura noted that the Texas pandemic was even worse when Abbott finally invoked COVID-19 restrictions.
When Governor Greg Abbott announced a nationwide mask mandate, I was on a trip to Houston.
This Thursday July 2nd, there have been 7,434 new # COVID19 cases in #Texas and 44 deaths.
Yesterday there were 8,140 cases and 129 deaths.
– David Gura (@davidgura) March 2, 2021
This is what others say:
“I just announced that I’m killing more Texans.
As many as I can.
I also ended the nationwide mask mandate that saved lives while we wait for vaccine doses. “
It has been fixed for you.
– MightyMary007 (@ Mary007Mighty) March 2, 2021
Governor Greg Abbott has announced that he will reopen 100% stores in Texas and lift the mask mandate.
TX is LAST for per capita vaccinations. 93.5% of the state are not yet fully vaccinated.
Never again let a Republican tell you they are for life again.
– Steve Hofstetter (@SteveHofstetter) March 2, 2021
No electricity, no water, no masks. Damn geniuses.
– TheRealBATJAY (@therealbatjay) March 2, 2021
Pro Life Party my ass
– TWalsh (@ hogan_1969) March 2, 2021
At a time when the wearing of double masks is encouraged and safer, our “governor” @GregAbbott_TX decided to lift the mask mandate in a state where we have had over 2 million cases and nearly 45,000 deaths and 29 million Texas residents put in danger. Not very pro life if you ask me. pic.twitter.com/cPedVSYjMf
– ༺ coco ༻ (@kittykatcoco) March 2, 2021
Hello, intensive care nurse here in Austin. So disgusted and sick of my news. Less than 20% of the state has been vaccinated and we are just starting to get relief from waves of Covid in hospitals. It is absolutely too early to remove any restrictions.
– Elizabeth Wilks (@IzabethJD) March 2, 2021
I have to get distracted from your power grid mess a few weeks ago, right? Might be nice to wait until we’re above a vaccination rate of 6%.
– FV Angela @ (@fv_angela) March 2, 2021
Greg Abbott: If that blizzard didn’t kill you, this will! https://t.co/uqaTM8T4if
– Rob Gill (@ vote4robgill) March 2, 2021
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