As if the pandemic is officially over and against the advisement of Federal health officials, Governor Greg Abbott recently issued an Executive Order (GA-34) lifting the mask mandate in Texas and increasing capacity of all businesses and facilities in the state to 100 percent. The Governor made the announcement at Montelongo's Mexican Restaurant in Lubbock in an address to the Lubbock Chamber of Commerce.
"With the medical advancements of vaccines and antibody therapeutic drugs, Texas now has the tools to protect Texans from the virus,” said Governor Abbott. "We must now do more to restore livelihoods and normalcy for Texans by opening Texas 100 percent. Make no mistake, COVID-19 has not disappeared (?), but it is clear from the recoveries, vaccinations, reduced hospitalizations, and safe practices that Texans are using that state mandates are no longer needed. Today's announcement does not abandon safe practices that Texans have mastered over the past year. (Are you fucking kidding me? I have seen my fair share of "Texans" who have totally ignored "safe practices" since the pandemic began.) Instead, it is a reminder that each person has a role to play in their own personal safety and the safety of others. With this executive order, we are ensuring that all businesses and families in Texas have the freedom to determine their own destiny".
This is exactly that kind of rhetoric that Covid deniers have used since the pandemic started - that mandates put in place for the health of all interfered with individual personal freedom. In other news - I am scheduled for my first shot on Monday.