On March 3, the governor of Texas, Greg Abott, decided to lift the mask mandate in his state. Governors in Mississippi, Iowa, Montana and North Dakota have also all made the decision to lift their state mask mandates, a decision that could potentially kill thousands.
Governor Abott decided to reopen 100% of businesses and lift his state’s mask mandate because the Texas infection rate was lower than it had been in months. With under 10% of citizens vaccinated, major cities such as Austin, Dallas, Houston and El Paso are still requiring masks. Despite not consulting with his Coronavirus advisers, Abbott believes that with increased testing and vaccinations, it is safe for Texas to return to normal.
Mississippi Governor Tate Reeves has taken a similar approach to that of Texas, noticing that his state’s infection rate has been plummeting to under 400 cases per week on average. Since the mask mandate has been removed, Mississippi’s infection rate has increased to about 500 cases per week.
Montana has been seeing about 200 new cases per week since their mask mandate was ended on February 12.
While some states are lifting their restrictions, others are making it a personal responsibility to stay safe. Governor Ivey of Alabama has said she will lift the mask mandate in April, and it will be down to the citizens to keep themselves safe.
Many of the states that have ended their restrictions and mask mandates are seeing less than a thousand new cases per day. Even with factoring in their smaller overall populations, they are doing pretty well. With vaccinations continuing to be rolled out, infection rates are dropping at a steady pace. Since ending their mask mandates, the majority of states have reported that their infection rates are continuing to drop. With spring and summer breaks approaching, the decision to remove mask mandates will likely be put to the test.