In a contradiction of federal steerage, Texas Gov. Greg Abbott and Mississippi Gov. Tate Reeves introduced Tuesday that their states will elevate their respective masks mandates and permit companies to function at full capability.
“I simply introduced Texas is OPEN 100%.” Abbott tweeted. “EVERYTHING.” Minutes later, Reeves posted the same tweet: “Our hospitalizations and case numbers have plummeted, and the vaccine is being quickly distributed. It’s time!”
I simply introduced Texas is OPEN 100%.
EVERYTHING.
I additionally ended the statewide masks mandate.
— Greg Abbott (@GregAbbott_TX) March 2, 2021
Beginning tomorrow, we’re lifting all of our county masks mandates and companies will be capable of function at full capability with none state-imposed guidelines. Our hospitalizations and case numbers have plummeted, and the vaccine is being quickly distributed. It’s time!
— Tate Reeves (@tatereeves) March 2, 2021
As I wrote final month, that is precisely what public well being consultants have warned towards doing, given the opportunity of a surge in circumstances pushed by new coronavirus variants. Whereas there may be cause to be hopeful—vaccines are right here—now isn’t the time to let our guard down, they stated. The truth is, they informed me, easing restrictions now may give the virus much more alternative to build up harmful mutations.
I talked to a few consultants: Joseph Fauver, a genomic epidemiologist and affiliate analysis scientist on the Yale Faculty of Public Well being, Sarah Otto, an evolutionary biologist and a professor within the Division of Zoology on the College of British Columbia, and John Swartzberg, a scientific professor emeritus specializing in infectious ailments and vaccinology at UC Berkeley’s Faculty of Public Well being. They informed me that enjoyable restrictions now may severely impede our progress in combating the virus:
Even with a extra transmissible virus, all three consultants agree, hope isn’t misplaced. “My reply is to proceed doing what we all know works, which is carrying a masks, social distancing, not spending unmasked time indoors with folks exterior of your quick family or your bubble, what have you ever,” Fauver says.
“My view of it’s that if we now have extra transmissible strains than the usual strains circulating now, it implies that we have to double down on all the pieces we do to forestall getting contaminated,” Swartzberg says, echoing Fauver. For example, Swartzberg says he’s contemplating going grocery procuring rather less typically and mixing journeys to the pharmacy. “You simply need to be upping the ante proper now.”
Vaccinations are additionally key. The sooner we vaccinate, the less probabilities these variants need to doubtlessly unfold and evolve. “How can we hold our vaccines working for longer?” Otto says. “We will carry the case numbers down, give evolution much less alternative.” Knowledge is proscribed, however up to now, it appears our vaccines are efficient towards the brand new variants, though presumably to not the identical diploma as with earlier variations.
Federal officers have issued comparable warnings. As Dr. Anthony Fauci defined on CBS’s Face the Nation Sunday, “Proper now, as we’re happening [in COVID cases] and plateauing isn’t the time to declare victory—as a result of we’re not victorious but…significantly with the variants which can be circulating in varied components of the nation.” And on Friday, CDC Director Rochelle Walensky stated, “Issues are tenuous. Now isn’t the time to calm down restrictions.”
Texas’ coverage change will go into impact subsequent week. Mississippi’s goes into impact tomorrow.