Governors of Texas and Mississippi Say No Mask Mandate Any Longer

Ruthanne

Ruthanne

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Article: Governors--no mask mandate

Gov. Greg Abbott ended Texas' statewide mask mandate and announced an executive order to allow all businesses to reopen at full capacity.

"It is now time to open Texas 100%," Abbott said at a news conference Tuesday.

"COVID has not suddenly disappeared," he added. "But it is clear from the recoveries, from the vaccinations, from the reduced hospitalizations, and from the safe practices that Texas are using, that state mandates are no longer needed."

Abbott's executive order is effective March 10, overriding a previous executive order issued in October. The new order mandates that if hospitalization rates exceed 15% hospital bed capacity for seven days, county judges may use mitigation strategies in their jurisdiction, according to Abbott.

Health experts, including Dr. Anthony Fauci, have cautioned against states reopening too quickly. At a White House briefing on Friday, Fauci warned against easing restrictions until the U.S. baseline average of new infections is lower.

"We have to carefully look at what happens over the next week or so with those numbers, before you start making the understandable need to relax on certain restrictions," Fauci said. "Watch it closely, and be prepared to react according to what actually happens.”

"We think it's a mistake to lift these mandate too early. Masks are saving a lot of lives," he said. "The president has been clear about the fact that in the first 100 days of this administration, we could save 50,000 lives if we stick to this. I'm hoping that the businesses, and the community and people in Texas, the mayors, the county, will rethink this. I hope the governor rethinks this. It's only a small piece of cloth that's needed."

Mississippi followed suit on Tuesday, with Gov. Tate Reeves announcing he would also remove mask mandates and business restrictions.


For more of this article see blue link at top.

Do you think this is the right thing to do?
 

I hope it works out well for them. I wish our state would do the same. It will be beyond wonderful to experience normalcy again after a year of this unspeakable situation.
 
Its not going to work out well for us at all here in Texas. Disagree with Abbott completely. I am with the doctor on this one. I am just thankful that I don't get out much. When I do, I will wear a mask and anyone coming in my home will have one on too. I will still do delivery and they better have masks on. I cannot control what happens when my stuff is being packed but I saw where HEB and Kroger said they will continue with the mask wearing.

I think this is the "new normal" for quite awhile.
 

terry123 said:
Its not going to work out well for us at all here in Texas. Disagree with Abbott completely. I am with the doctor on this one. I am just thankful that I don't get out much. When I do, I will wear a mask and anyone coming in my home will have one on too. I will still do delivery and they better have masks on. I cannot control what happens when my stuff is being packed but I saw where HEB and Kroger said they will continue with the mask wearing.

I think this is the "new normal" for quite awhile.
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1 ditto.gif...will do the same..
 
I am happy for the states, younger and older people that will be able to go about their lives freely without a face covered up by a piece of flimsy material that some old people think are a barrier that will protect them from death. At age 67 I have lived longer than many others. My Goddaughter died at age 15 of a heart attack. I have many friends who have lost children from SIDS, car accidents, suicide, and disease. I have over 30 classmates that I grew up with who never made it to 67 and we only had 150 in the class. I am thankful for the years I have been blessed with. My God knows me and He knows how long I will be on earth. A piece of material covering my face will not give me one extra day.
 
debrakay said:
I am happy for the states, younger and older people that will be able to go about their lives freely without a face covered up by a piece of flimsy material that some old people think are a barrier that will protect them from death. At age 67 I have lived longer than many others. My Goddaughter died at age 15 of a heart attack. I have many friends who have lost children from SIDS, car accidents, suicide, and disease. I have over 30 classmates that I grew up with who never made it to 67 and we only had 150 in the class. I am thankful for the years I have been blessed with. My God knows me and He knows how long I will be on earth. A piece of material covering my face will not give me one extra day.
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It is not only old people that wear a mask to protect themselves and others. If we hadn't been wearing the masks a lot more would have died and there is much evidence of that.
 
About 7% of Texans have been vaccinated. We are second or third to last in per capita vaccinated. Today 1,000 will die of the virus and 50,000 will get the virus. So what medical academy did Abbott attend? Strictly based on politics. He took none of the blame for the blackout/ freezeout catastrophe. Why not wait until May? Let's wait and see what the infection numbers look like in a month. I still have not got one vaccine despite being registered in January.
 
debrakay said:
I am happy for the states, younger and older people that will be able to go about their lives freely without a face covered up by a piece of flimsy material that some old people think are a barrier that will protect them from death. At age 67 I have lived longer than many others. My Goddaughter died at age 15 of a heart attack. I have many friends who have lost children from SIDS, car accidents, suicide, and disease. I have over 30 classmates that I grew up with who never made it to 67 and we only had 150 in the class. I am thankful for the years I have been blessed with. My God knows me and He knows how long I will be on earth. A piece of material covering my face will not give me one extra day.
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Is your God the same one that has killed millions with his virus?
 
The Mississippi governor has been pretty flexible based on statistics throughout the pandemic. He implemented mandates initially on a county by county basis during Mississippi's 2020 summer spike, lifted them as that waned, then re-implemented during the winter spike. Had several time-frames in which the whole state was under a mask mandate. Based on his pattern, he'll mandate them again if the numbers warrant. Psychologically, it's been a pretty effective strategy based on my travels through different counties the past year. People have paid attention when he has highlighted their area in a way that I doubt they would have had there been long-term statewide mandates.

Businesses, county govt officials and mayors can continue mandates if they choose to do so.
 
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debrakay said:
I am happy for the states, younger and older people that will be able to go about their lives freely without a face covered up by a piece of flimsy material that some old people think are a barrier that will protect them from death. At age 67 I have lived longer than many others. My Goddaughter died at age 15 of a heart attack. I have many friends who have lost children from SIDS, car accidents, suicide, and disease. I have over 30 classmates that I grew up with who never made it to 67 and we only had 150 in the class. I am thankful for the years I have been blessed with. My God knows me and He knows how long I will be on earth. A piece of material covering my face will not give me one extra day.
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reply to debrakay: I have said over and over that 860 people, mostly the old & those with medical issues, died of Covid-19 in my province here in Canada over the last year. In the same time frame 3,000 people, young & old, have died of cancer. But perhaps isn't sexy & it does not catch the media interest. For these 860 the world got turned upside down. How much those masks helped is debatable. Perhaps for those with medical issues, maybe. For the young with good resistance, probably a waste of time & money. Good for you debrakay for speaking up for what you believe rather than take the easy path & follow the sheep. We used to have something called "Freedom of Speech" but boy oh boy, you just try it today.
 
Packerjohn said:
reply to debrakay: I have said over and over that 860 people, mostly the old & those with medical issues, died of Covid-19 in my province here in Canada over the last year. In the same time frame 3,000 people, young & old, have died of cancer. But perhaps isn't sexy & it does not catch the media interest. For these 860 the world got turned upside down. How much those masks helped is debatable. Perhaps for those with medical issues, maybe. For the young with good resistance, probably a waste of time & money. Good for you debrakay for speaking up for what you believe rather than take the easy path & follow the sheep. We used to have something called "Freedom of Speech" but boy oh boy, you just try it today.
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This is the saddest part during this time of stress and for some isolation as well, that we can no longer express our true feelings on this touchy subject for fear of ridicule. I wish that would end. However one feels about the issue. We don't have to hate each other over it.
 
I adore my two grandchildren and expect more will be coming via my other children. I'd love to dance at their weddings as my parents and in-laws did at my children's weddings. Maybe I'll be even be lucky enough to welcome a great grandchild into the world.

Medical advances, vaccines, tests, and the like are welcome if they can help me achieve those aims.

Dylan Thomas's words express this far better than mine:
“Do not go gentle into that good night,
Old age should burn and rave at close of day;
Rage, rage against the dying of the light.”
 
Packerjohn said:
reply to debrakay: I have said over and over that 860 people, mostly the old & those with medical issues, died of Covid-19 in my province here in Canada over the last year. In the same time frame 3,000 people, young & old, have died of cancer. But perhaps isn't sexy & it does not catch the media interest. For these 860 the world got turned upside down. How much those masks helped is debatable. Perhaps for those with medical issues, maybe. For the young with good resistance, probably a waste of time & money. Good for you debrakay for speaking up for what you believe rather than take the easy path & follow the sheep. We used to have something called "Freedom of Speech" but boy oh boy, you just try it today.
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There still is Freedom of Speech and many on all sides of the issues have been, are and will be doing it.

That easier path you speak of is the path of sanity--and I believe sheep are very smart!
 
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