Texas, Mississippi lifting most COVID-19 restrictions, mask mandates
This post contains references to products from one or more of our advertisers. We may receive compensation when you click on links to those products. Terms apply to the offers listed on this page. For an explanation of our Advertising Policy, visit this page.
Texas Gov. Greg Abbott of Texas and Mississippi Gov. Tate Reeves both announced on Tuesday that they were lifting statewide mask mandates and opening their states back up for business.
Gov. Abbott announced Tuesday, March 2, in Lubbock, Texas, that it was time to “open Texas 100%.”
The Republican governor announced he is lifting the mask mandate beginning next Wednesday. Abbott says that declining infection rates and new vaccines mean the Lone Star State can fully reopen. He issued an executive order (GA-34) rescinding most of his other pandemic orders as well.
At around the same time, Gov. Reeves, also a Republican, followed suit, tweeting “Our hospitalizations and case numbers have plummeted, and the vaccine is being rapidly distributed. It is time!” The Mississippi restrictions will lift tomorrow and businesses will be allowed to operate at full capacity.
Related: State by state guide to coronavirus reopening
Similarly, Gov. Abbott’s executive order allows all businesses to operate at 100% capacity, and it also forbids any city or county form enforcing their own mask mandates.
Bars in Texas have already reopened on a county-by-county basis at 50% occupancy with all patrons seated and an 11 p.m. closing time. That is likely to end next week. Gov. Abbott lifted travel restrictions for visitors to Texas on May 20, 2020.
For more travel tips and news, sign up for our daily newsletter.
Texas was the second state to surpass 2 million coronavirus cases back in February. Mississippi has a total of 295,295 cases, according to a New York Times database.
Abbott did say:
“Removing state mandates does not end personal responsibility or the importance of caring for your family members and caring for your friends and caring for others in your community,” Abbott said. “Personal vigilance to follow the safety standards is still needed to contain COVID, it’s just that now state mandates are no longer needed. Texans should continue following medical advice on preventing COVID.”
Democrats in Texas are outraged. Texas Party Chair Gilberto Hinojosa said in statement, “From leaving Texans to literally freeze to death, to letting a deadly virus have an open season on our residents, Governor Abbott has proven many times over that he neither understands the struggles of everyday Texans, nor does he care about doing his basic duty to protect them.”
And if you missed it, here’s our country-by-country guide to reopenings and our Africa country-by-country guide.
Gov. Abbott issued a mask mandate on July 2, 2020, after cases began to rise in the state, however, mask usage is more common in some parts of Texas than in others. The New York Times reports Texas has an “average of 227 COVID-19 deaths a day over the past week.”
Texas has more than 44,100 COVID-19 deaths, and Mississippi has over 6,700, according to a New York Times Database.
For more information: Visit the state of Texas coronavirus information page and Travel Texas.
Additional reporting by Mimi Wright.
Featured image by CrackerClips Stock Media via Shutterstock.
Sign-up Successful!
Welcome to The Points Guy!
WELCOME OFFER: 80,000 Points
TPG'S BONUS VALUATION*: $1,600
CARD HIGHLIGHTS: 3X points on dining and 2x points on travel, points transferrable to over a dozen travel partners
*Bonus value is an estimated value calculated by TPG and not the card issuer. View our latest valuations here.
- Earn 80,000 bonus points after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening. That's $1,000 when you redeem through Chase Ultimate Rewards®.
- Enjoy benefits such as a $50 annual Ultimate Rewards Hotel Credit, 5x on travel purchased through Chase Ultimate Rewards®, 3x on dining and 2x on all other travel purchases, plus more.
- Get 25% more value when you redeem for airfare, hotels, car rentals and cruises through Chase Ultimate Rewards®. For example, 80,000 points are worth $1,000 toward travel.
- With Pay Yourself Back℠, your points are worth 25% more during the current offer when you redeem them for statement credits against existing purchases in select, rotating categories
- Count on Trip Cancellation/Interruption Insurance, Auto Rental Collision Damage Waiver, Lost Luggage Insurance and more.
Disclaimer: The responses below are not provided or commissioned by the bank advertiser. Responses have not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by the bank advertiser. It is not the bank advertiser’s responsibility to ensure all posts and/or questions are answered.
Editorial Disclaimer: Opinions expressed here are the author’s alone, not those of any bank, credit card issuer, airlines or hotel chain, and have not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by any of these entities.