Texas, Mississippi defy White House, reopen businesses, end mask mandates

Two states in the US have announced new executive orders allowing all businesses to reopen at full capacity and to end states wide mask mandates as the COVID-19 pandemic slows down.

Gov. Greg Abbott of Texas said on Tuesday that he was ending his statewide mask mandate, effective March 10, and that all businesses in the state could then operate with no capacity limits.

“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.”

The state’s mask mandate had been in effect since July.

Abbott, a Republican, said that most of the mandates issued during the peak of the pandemic in the state would be lifted; he did not specify which mandates would remain. He said top elected officials in each county could still impose certain restrictions locally if hospitals in their region became dangerously full, but could not jail anyone for violating them.

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

“Starting tomorrow, we are lifting all of our county mask mandates and businesses will be able to operate at full capacity without any state-imposed rules,” Reeves said in a Facebook post. “Our hospitalizations and case numbers have plummeted, and the vaccine is being rapidly distributed. It is time!”

Reacting, White House senior COVID-19 adviser Andy Slavitt told CNN Tuesday night he hopes Abbott will rethink lifting restrictions, especially the mask mandate, though he stopped short of suggesting President Joe Biden should call the governor to ask him to change course.

“We think it’s a mistake to lift these mandates 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.”