Texas becomes biggest US state to lift COVID-19 mask mandate

[Chomsky]

AUSTIN, Texas -- Texas is lifting its mask mandate, Gov. Greg Abbott said Tuesday, making it the largest state to no longer require one of the most effective ways to slow the spread of the coronavirus.

The announcement in Texas, where the virus has killed more than 43,000 people, rattled doctors and big city leaders who said they are now bracing for another deadly resurgence. One hospital executive in Houston said he told his staff they would need more personnel and ventilators.

Texas becomes biggest US state to lift COVID-19 mask mandate

Texas is lifting a COVID-19 mask mandate that was imposed last summer but has only been lightly enforced

abcnews.go.com

Unbelievable!

Does Gov. Abbott not remember his 'mask-less' policy in the spring, and the resulting carnage? Large-scale sickness & death, that forced him to instate a statewide mask mandate as Texas became the third highest death state?

Texas has a positivity rate of 11.2%! That's in comparison to the national rate of around 4%. Why would he open-up, with what might be the highest positivity rate in the nation?

I think he's under duress for the recent Texas utilities fiasco, and is trying to right his political ship. If he misjudged, the utility fiasco might look like child's play - if Texas ends-up in masks & lock-downs again.

 

[Hamish Howl]

Oh my god, it's full of ****s.

 

[Phys251]

Texas becomes biggest US state to lift COVID-19 mask mandate

Texas is lifting a COVID-19 mask mandate that was imposed last summer but has only been lightly enforced

abcnews.go.com

Unbelievable!

Does Gov. Abbott not remember his 'mask-less' policy in the spring, and the resulting carnage? Large-scale sickness & death, that forced him to instate a statewide mask mandate as Texas became the third highest death state?

Texas has a positivity rate of 11.2%! That's in comparison to the national rate of around 4%. Why would he open-up, with what might be the highest positivity rate in the nation?

I think he's under duress for the recent Texas utilities fiasco, and is trying to right his political ship. If he misjudged, the utility fiasco might look like child's play - if Texas ends-up in masks & lock-downs again.

This is why federalism is a failure. Washington needs to step in and manage that state that Abbott is going out of his way to destroy.

 

[Chomsky]

Oh my god, it's full of ****s.

Isn't it? 11% positivity! We've seen this movie before . . .

 

[Winston]

I think this comes from conservative petulance and a warped sense of liberty. It also comes straight from daddy Trump. Imagine if he had christened mask wearing a patriotic act how many conservatives would buy MAGA masks from him.

 

[Phys251]

I think this comes from conservative petulance and a warped sense of liberty. It also comes straight from daddy Trump. Imagine if he had christened mask wearing a patriotic act how many conservatives would buy MAGA masks from him.

They are a eugenicist death cult. "Culling the heard," now by state mandate and entitled assholes.

 

[Chomsky]

This is why federalism is a failure. Washington needs to step in and manage that state that Abbott is going out of his way to destroy.

You know, as long as his voters want it - well, it is the way our governance works. It sounds like it's less about Abbott, and more about Texans. He's their guy, it seems!

 

[Hamish Howl]

I think this comes from conservative petulance and a warped sense of liberty. It also comes straight from daddy Trump. Imagine if he had christened mask wearing a patriotic act how many conservatives would buy MAGA masks from him.

He missed some serious cash with that one.

 

[Chomsky]

I think this comes from conservative petulance and a warped sense of liberty. It also comes straight from daddy Trump. Imagine if he had christened mask wearing a patriotic act how many conservatives would buy MAGA masks from him.

Great point. Trump has so much blood on his hands, and cost us so much.

 

[Phys251]

You know, as long as his voters want it - well, it is the way our governance works. It sounds like it's less about Abbott, and more about Texans. He's their guy, it seems!

Infectious diseases don't stop spreading at the state line.

Come to think of it, there might be some Commerce Clause justification for some measures against Texas. But that's some extremely dicey territory with all the entitled right-wing extremists our country has.

 

[Winston]

He missed some serious cash with that one.

yep. smart businessman. Start a mortgage company in 2006, run a casino into the ground and miss the easiest money ever that was right under your nose.

 

[Chomsky]

He missed some serious cash with that one.

Hah!

 

[Chomsky]

Infectious diseases don't stop spreading at the state line.

Come to think of it, there might be some Commerce Clause justification for some measures against Texas. But that's some extremely dicey territory with all the entitled right-wing extremists our country has.

That's a fair argument, and there is a SCOTUS precedent for national requirements in pandemics. It involved forced inoculation.

 

[Helix]

this pisses me off, because both the disease and the lifting of restrictions will spread to other states before most of us even have a chance of getting vaccinated. i now feel even less enthusiastic about helping them with their electrical ****up.

 

[Winston]

The most idiotic thing about this is the conservatives who support things like workplace drug testing cannot see an infringement on personal liberty there yet will cry about liberty when asked to wear a mask in public to protect people? It’s not a personal liberty issue to them. It’s a political statement. It’s no different than wearing a high school jacket that shows you were on Varsity football.

 

[vesper]

The positivity rate could be 20% and it would be irrelevant. What is relevant is the number of people that need hospitalized. From the very beginning it has always been about the space available in hospitals. The elderly and those with comorbidities who have a very hard time with this virus are top priority in getting vaccinated in Texas. In the meantime there is a natural herd immunity occurring among the younger generation that will protect them for a time till they can get the vaccination.

 

[Chomsky]

The positivity rate could be 20% and it would be irrelevant. What is relevant is the number of people that need hospitalized. From the very beginning it has always been about the space available in hospitals. The elderly and those with comorbidities who have a very hard time with this virus are top priority in getting vaccinated in Texas. In the meantime there is a natural herd immunity occurring among the younger generation that will protect them for a time till they can get the vaccination.

Well, there's also these little things like sickness & death. By focusing only on hospital capacity, you're turning a blind eye to sickness & death.

 

[Chomsky]

The most idiotic thing about this is the conservatives who support things like workplace drug testing cannot see an infringement on personal liberty there yet will cry about liberty when asked to wear a mask in public to protect people? It’s not a personal liberty issue to them. It’s a political statement. It’s no different than wearing a high school jacket that shows you were on Varsity football.

That's another great point. I abhor drug testing. We very much think alike, in this.

 

[Winston]

That's another great point. I abhor drug testing. We very much think alike, in this.

it’s just absurd when you think about the areas that actually impact someone’s ability to make free choices compared to mask wearing

 

[Chomsky]

it’s just absurd when you think about the areas that actually impact someone’s ability to make free choices compared to mask wearing

Yep. Agreed. I was aghast when drug testing became law. To think, one must 'prove themselves innocent' - without probable cause?

 

[justabubba]

tejas has vaccinated a smaller percentage of its population than 47 states. only utah and georgia have done worse

when the mask mandate was effected (07/02/2020):

7434 daily infections

44 daily deaths

when the mask mandate was rescinded (03/02/2021):

8140 daily infections

129 daily deaths

the circumstance in the state has become worse than when the mandate began, yet the governor - who polled poorly at this weekend's CPAC conference - decided now was the time to make the state's residents more vulnerable
truly a sad state of affairs

 

[upsideguy]

Why are Texas politicians so uniformly idiots? Is it representative government?

When is Texas going to fulfill its promise and secede? There is nothing worse than promising us something and failing to deliver.

So many perplexing questions.

 

[justabubba]

Why are Texas politicians so uniformly idiots? Is it representative government?

When is Texas going to fulfill its promise and secede? There is nothing worse than promising us something and failing to deliver.

So many perplexing questions.

actually, Will Hurd was an outstanding tejas congressman. too bad he retired at the conclusion of the past term
hope Biden will be wise enough to find a place for him in his administration

 

[beefheart]

They currently rank 47th in vaccinations.

Texas, they always are swing their dicks around, not realizing that everyone is laughing at them.

 

[justabubba]

Now, Texans have mastered the daily habits to avoid getting COVID

the numbers are worse that when masks were mandated and the foolish governor proceeds to make such an ignorant statement ^

i can only image that health care workers in the state are beside themselves