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Texas Governor Greg Abbott Lifts Mask Mandate & Says Businesses Can Open To 100% Capacity

It looks Texas has just become one of the few states that will now officially be open despite the ongoing pandemic.

On Tuesday, Texas Governor Greg Abbott announced during a press conference that he is lifting the mask mandate and says that all businesses can now open to 100% capacity. Things will officially go into effect next Wednesday, however, the executive order issued by Governor Abbott stated that “businesses may still limit capacity or implement additional safety protocols at their own discretion.”

Governor Abbott continued to state, “Today’s announcement doesn’t abandon safe practices that Texans have mastered over the past year. Instead, it’s a reminder that each person has a role to play in their own personal safety & 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.”

According to the Associated Press, the state of Texas has seen a decrease in the number of cases and in the number of deaths. The number of people that have been hospitalized has reached its lowest amount since October and the seven-day rolling average of positive tests has decreased to around 7,600 cases.
Abbott, who is Republican, faced backlash from his own party when he first suggested lifting the mandate a few months back as well as other COVID-19 restrictions.
As we previously reported, last November Texas reportedly became the first state to surpass 1 million coronavirus cases.
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TSR STAFF: Jade Ashley @Jade_Ashley94
Jade Whiteside