Quote:

---

We have 200 years of legal precedent backed by the Supreme Court for state measures to combat public health issues. We have countless instance of the types of quarantines we have witness throughout U.S. History and even Texas history. Courts were re-affirming these state powers as recently as the 2014 Ebola Outbreak.

We shouldn't invent an alternate and fictitious history and then use that fantasy land for political debate. The rules have nearly always been the same. The legitimacy of their application is probably a more fertile topic for discussion.

---

Windy City Ag said:

---

Quote:

---

But lets all reflect on how far we have moved away from freedom and the values that the United States was founded on. Today we had the governor of a conservative , southern state tell the citizens that "you may now operate your business at 100 percent". We all cheered and rejoiced....as if that was a perfectly legitimate thing to be taken away in the first place.

---

We have 200 years of legal precedent backed by the Supreme Court for state measures to combat public health issues. We have countless instance of the types of quarantines we have witness throughout U.S. History and even Texas history. Courts were re-affirming these state powers as recently as the 2014 Ebola Outbreak.

We shouldn't invent an alternate and fictitious history and then use that fantasy land for political debate. The rules have nearly always been the same. The legitimacy of their application is probably a more fertile topic for discussion.

---

wbt5845 said:

---

JP_Losman said:

---

Sweet. Where did you see that announcement?

---

My source inside the organization

---

Keegan99 said:

---

Marissa99 said:

---

I'm with you on this. I truly feel like we're rounding the corner.

I actually would have been on board if Abbott had outlined a plan to re-open in line with guidance from health officials. Now that more people are getting vaccinated, I would've been on board with hearing a plan that was more thoughtful instead of what seemed like a hastily made decision.

I truly think we would've been in a position to potentially fully re-open in June especially with scaled up vaccinations. But now, I'm not so sure...

---

Abbott had guidance from health officials. They just weren't the health officials with opinions you happen to agree with.

---

Quote:

---

Gov. Greg Abbott did not consult Dr. John Hellerstedt, the commissioner of the Department of State Health Services, before deciding to end the statewide mask mandate, Hellerstedt told state representatives on Wednesday.

"I did not have a personal conversation with him prior to the decision," Hellerstedt testified during a hearing before the state House's committee on public health.
...
It now appears that the governor consulted only one of his four COVID health advisers on rescinding the mask mandate before making the announcement Tuesday afternoon in Lubbock. That team, named at the start of the pandemic, includes Hellerstedt and three public health experts two of whom told the Dallas Morning News on Tuesday that they had not been involved in the decision.

Only one adviser, Dr. John Zerwas, said he agreed with the policy change as Texas' COVID numbers improve. Zerwas is a vice chancellor for health affairs at the University of Texas System and a former GOP state representative.

Renae Eze, a spokeswoman for the governor, said Abbott "speaks regularly with Dr. Hellerstedt and Dr. Zerwas, along with others in the medical community, regarding yesterday's announcement."

"All were in agreement that Texans should continue following medical advice and safe standards on preventing COVID-19 to protect themselves and their loved ones, just like they do on other medical issues," Eze said in an email. "As the governor mentioned yesterday, COVID-19 has not suddenly disappeared. Removing state mandates does not end personal responsibility or the importance of caring for family members, friends, and your community."

The two other members of Abbott's health advisory team are Dr. Peter Hudson, an assistant professor of internal medicine and infectious diseases at Dell Medical School at the University of Texas at Austin; and Mark McClellan, the director of the Duke-Margolis Center for Health Policy at Duke University. Both told the News they were not consulted.

In his Wednesday testimony, Hellerstedt stressed that individuals can and should still make the personal decision to wear a mask. He also encouraged school districts to continue requiring masks on campus.

"Should you wear a mask? The answer is absolutely yes," Hellerstedt said. "Does the governor want people to wear a mask and take their own responsibility to do it? The answer, I believe, is yes. The difference is, is government going to make people wear a mask? And that's where I believe the governor has stated his position yesterday."

---

Fitch said:

---

Keegan99 said:

---

Marissa99 said:

---

I'm with you on this. I truly feel like we're rounding the corner.

I actually would have been on board if Abbott had outlined a plan to re-open in line with guidance from health officials. Now that more people are getting vaccinated, I would've been on board with hearing a plan that was more thoughtful instead of what seemed like a hastily made decision.

I truly think we would've been in a position to potentially fully re-open in June especially with scaled up vaccinations. But now, I'm not so sure...

---

Abbott had guidance from health officials. They just weren't the health officials with opinions you happen to agree with.

---

https://www.expressnews.com/news/legislature/article/As-he-lifted-Texas-mask-order-Gov-Abbott-15997923.php

Quote:

---

Gov. Greg Abbott did not consult Dr. John Hellerstedt, the commissioner of the Department of State Health Services, before deciding to end the statewide mask mandate, Hellerstedt told state representatives on Wednesday.

"I did not have a personal conversation with him prior to the decision," Hellerstedt testified during a hearing before the state House's committee on public health.
...
It now appears that the governor consulted only one of his four COVID health advisers on rescinding the mask mandate before making the announcement Tuesday afternoon in Lubbock. That team, named at the start of the pandemic, includes Hellerstedt and three public health experts two of whom told the Dallas Morning News on Tuesday that they had not been involved in the decision.

Only one adviser, Dr. John Zerwas, said he agreed with the policy change as Texas' COVID numbers improve. Zerwas is a vice chancellor for health affairs at the University of Texas System and a former GOP state representative.

Renae Eze, a spokeswoman for the governor, said Abbott "speaks regularly with Dr. Hellerstedt and Dr. Zerwas, along with others in the medical community, regarding yesterday's announcement."

"All were in agreement that Texans should continue following medical advice and safe standards on preventing COVID-19 to protect themselves and their loved ones, just like they do on other medical issues," Eze said in an email. "As the governor mentioned yesterday, COVID-19 has not suddenly disappeared. Removing state mandates does not end personal responsibility or the importance of caring for family members, friends, and your community."

The two other members of Abbott's health advisory team are Dr. Peter Hudson, an assistant professor of internal medicine and infectious diseases at Dell Medical School at the University of Texas at Austin; and Mark McClellan, the director of the Duke-Margolis Center for Health Policy at Duke University. Both told the News they were not consulted.

In his Wednesday testimony, Hellerstedt stressed that individuals can and should still make the personal decision to wear a mask. He also encouraged school districts to continue requiring masks on campus.

"Should you wear a mask? The answer is absolutely yes," Hellerstedt said. "Does the governor want people to wear a mask and take their own responsibility to do it? The answer, I believe, is yes. The difference is, is government going to make people wear a mask? And that's where I believe the governor has stated his position yesterday."

---

---

Capitol Ag said:

---

As I've had a few days to let things sink in, there is something that seems true to me. Whether we rip the band aid off now, in 3 months or next year, at some point the band aid will have to be ripped off. Further, many will not be comfortable regardless of when that band aid come off.

Officially, this was always about hospitals. Officially. But many leaders also have made it about human suffering and eliminating spread and infection. If you're argument is to wait to go 100% and maskless is that we could see a spike still that will overwhelm the healthcare system, you may have a point. But, if your argument is about limiting spread and infection/suffering only, you probably are only going to be happy with us riding out the restrictions and mandates until the virus is totally gone, which may never happen. Obviously many will fall in the middle but my point is that a lot will still favor some level of restriction possibly forever while others never wanted any level of restrictions. The debate will go on in perpetuity I think. I personally am glad we are back to deciding on our own. I am going to mask for now, but talk to me in 2-3 weeks once my 2nd dose from Tuesday is fully operational. I might pull a few "Elliot Ness" moments (the scene at the end when he's asked what will he do now that prohibition is over, "I think I'll have a drink") and enjoy being out without a mask on. I do hate wearing them, and I feel personally that if one is fully vaccinated, they just cannot spread enough viral load to make others sick. I think science will show this to be true. Maybe not every time but yes, I'll be honest, there will be times I just do not wear one.

---

beerad12man said:

---

88planoAg said:

---

Re teachers and masks....my kid is in HS band. In the beginning back in August they only practiced outside or spread out inside for marching season. This has morphed quietly into full band practice inside every band period and twice a week after school. Inside the band hall. The kids carefully put their masks on before and after practice. But they have nothing covering the ends of instruments and play for 1.5 hours every other day. Have been since January.

No large outbreak. No large quarantine. It doesn't make sense to me that this is an anomaly. No, this is because the virus doesn't spread among HS kids - what other explanation can there be?

Schools should be fine. I am tired of living behind a mask and ignoring things that don't match what the media and *some* scientists tell us is true. I am tired of the demonization of people who see with their own eyes how this is spread/not spread. I've had covid, I have antibodies. My parents and MIL have been fully vaccinated. There is no need for us to wear masks anymore. I hear the scientists say 'but wait, no studies yet' - but if we wait for scientific certainty we will be waiting for years.

---

You'll be waiting the rest of your life to hear from scientists on what is safe or not, what you can and can't do, etc. Some of us just can't live behind the life of a scientist. There's a certain aspect that makes us feel alive when we are in control and take a little chance here and there.

If we treated everything like we do covid, this would be the case. No one would ever live again.

---