Texas Governor, Greg Abbott, just ended Texas' mask mandate and announced an order to allow all businesses to reopen fully.
3.5 million Texans have received the first shot of the Covid vaccine. That amounts to 13 percent of the texas population. Over half of the people with one shot also have had their final shot according to the Texas Department of State Health Services. 1.9 million texans are fully vaccinated.
Abbott's office also reported that Texas administering a little less than 1 million shots each week. 7 million shots will have been administered by wednesday in Texas so they are on track for a very quick vaccine process.
I just announced Texas is OPEN 100%.
— Greg Abbott (@GregAbbott_TX) March 2, 2021
EVERYTHING.
I also ended the statewide mask mandate.
Of course, private businesses are allowed to impose their own restrictions if they choose, but it is no longer going to be required by state law.
He only just issued the announcement at Montelongo's Mexican Restaurant today. In the announcement, he informed reporters...
"With the medical advancements of vaccines and antibody therapeutic drugs, Texas now has the tools to protect Texans from the virus. We must now do more to restore livelihoods and normalcy for Texans by opening Texas 100 percent. With this executive order, we are ensuring that all businesses and families in Texas have the freedom to determine their own destiny."
Governor Abbot made this statement after analyzing a huge rise suicide and addiction numbers that has resulted from the lockdown. He also cited the vaccine rollout as a reason for the opening in a recent tweet.
Today Texas will report a new one day record for the number of people receiving vaccines—more than 216,000.
— Greg Abbott (@GregAbbott_TX) March 2, 2021
We are now providing more than 1 million Vaccines a week.
This is a big reason why hospitalizations are at the lowest level in four months.
Always voluntary.#txlege
He has been hinting at this "exciting news' for the past week on twitter but it was just officially reported today.
Reportedly, the executive order opening businesses will be put in place on the 10th this March. Every single businesses will be opened completely. The mask madate will also end.
Unsurprisingly, the major critic of this announcement is Dr. Anthony Fauci, who just recently made a statement about wanting people in masks into 2022.
This decision will likely anger the Biden administration so we are watching closely what will happen next.