Texas Governor Gregory Abbott just recently lifted pandemic restrictions. Despite public health experts’ concerns, Abbott lifted Texas’s mandate on face masks and plans on fully reopening businesses. Texas joins Mississippi, Louisiana, and Michigan in announcing plans to lift restrictions. Donna Murphey, a physician-scientist and community organizer in Houston, stated that this decision was “completely politically motivated.” Harris County Judge Lina Hidalgo said it was a “cynical attempt to distract Texans from the failures of state oversight of our power grid.”

CDC Director Dr. Rochelle Walensky said, “now is not the time” to lift restrictions. However, Governor Abbott still issued his executive order to end all COVID-19 restrictions beginning on March 10th. “Too many Texans have been sidelined from employment opportunities. Too many small business owners have struggled to pay their bills…It is now time to open Texas 100%,” Abbott stated. This decision was quickly targeted. Judge Hidalgo said, “Every time public health measures have been pulled back, we’ve seen a spike in hospitalizations.” Experts have agreed that this is a risk that our country should not be taking. Governor Abbott’s decision was careless and will only keep us farther from the finish line of this pandemic.