Texas Gov. Greg Abbott banned mask mandates. Nevertheless, Austin persisted.
U.S. COVID-19 cases are on the rise again, increasing by about 12 percent over the past week, and U.S. health officials are warning of a fourth wave of the pandemic. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Director Rochelle Walensky said Monday she fears "impending doom," and President Biden urged states and local governments to keep or reinstate mask mandates. "Please, this is not politics," Biden said. "A failure to take this virus seriously — precisely what got us into this mess in the first place — risks more cases and more deaths."
"A lot of states and cities are pulling back on mask mandates," Dr. Anthony Fauci, Biden's chief medical adviser, told Politico. "And what we're really trying to say is just hang on a bit longer."
Texas Gov. Greg Abbott (R) ended nearly all COVID-19 safety restrictions, including local mask mandates, on March 10, when cases were still trending downward nationwide. Austin and Travis County said they would continue requiring public mask use, prompting an immediate lawsuit from state Attorney General Ken Paxton (R). Last Friday, District Judge Lora Livingston sided with Austin, at least temporarily, and rejected Paxton's request for an emergency injunction while she considers the merits of the case.
Austin is taking the win. "Every day that we can keep the local health authority mask mandate in place is a victory," Austin Mayor Steve Adler told The Texas Tribune. "The fact that we were able to keep it in place for the last two weeks, during spring break, is a victory, for however long it lasts."
https://www.yahoo.com/news/texas-gov-greg-abbott-banned-120300954.html
Abbott's another one who says "Hold my beer" when people challenge his ignorance.
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