ABBOTT: COVID-19 “SPREADING AT AN UNACCEPTABLE RATE”
Governor Greg Abbott said today (Monday) he has no intentions of shutting down the state again amid the recent rise in statewide COVID-19 cases and hospitalizations.
At a press conference this afternoon, Abbott said COVID-19 is “spreading at an unacceptable rate in Texas”, and “must be corralled”. However, he also maintained that “closing down Texas again will always be the last option”.
Abbott cited statistics showing that new cases now average more than 3,500 a day, compared to roughly 1,500 new cases per day in May. Abbott said daily hospitalizations are also up from 1,600 to 3,200, while the positivity rate is now up to just under 9 percent from 4.5 percent last month.
Abbott said the state will continue to put an emphasis on strategies to slow the spread of the virus without the need to return to stay-at-home policies. Among the strategies he mentioned were increasing testing in hot spots across the state and ensuring hospitals have what they need to treat COVID-19 patients.
Abbott once again strongly encouraged, but did not mandate, the use of facial coverings while in public. He also reiterated the importance of maintaining social distancing and regularly washing hands, while saying individuals who are either at risk or feeling ill should avoid going out whenever possible.
Recently, some of the state's largest counties, including Bexar, Harris, and Travis Counties, implemented mandatory mask orders for businesses, requiring all customers and employees to wear face masks.
Abbott said COVID-19 has not gone away, but neither has the public’s ability to get rid of it. He said the state is able to “protect Texans’ lives while also restoring their livelihoods”.
COVID-19 “SPREADING AT AN UNACCEPTABLE RATE” does anyone else notice these numbers have only went up ten days after the first protest?? Yes we have more testing which means more cases, but we also had hundreds if not thousands of people gathering to protest the i cant breathe guy… Funny no politician wants to go on record to tell these people (protesters) they are/were the problem.
Wake up
Politicians have everyone fooled into thinking this virus is different than all the rest! It’s a Virus! They can all be deadly and spread like crazy. This one is no different! It’s an election year!! Think about what is really going on. I bet after November, this will go away just like all the other tricks that are being pulled out of the hat!! “Oh look…. something shiny over here”!
Masks do not work. DO YOUR RESEARCH.It even says on the back of the boxes of masks ” this mask does not eliminate or prevent the risk of contracting any disease or infection” Stop falling for propaganda! DO YOUR RESEARCH PEOPLE
This again. The mask is not for you, it’s for everyone else. When you have a mask on it helps stop transmission to other people. The more people wear a mask the less virus gets put into the environment wherever people are congregated.
This is really not hard.
JUST WEAR YOUR MASK THAT BOTTOM LINE
WEAR YOUR MASK
WEAR YOUR MASK
WEAR YOUR MASH
All that stay at home,etc we ALL endured for WEEKS just went out the door!numbers dont lie,now we have children being infected here,just bc alot of ppl refuse to do their part.This is going to be a sad senerio when winter gets here,schools are open..very disturbing to see these numbers are higher not only here but everywhere before lockdown started.PPL need to get off their high horses and do their part or it’s going to be a bad horizon looming ahead
Thank you Old Timer, you are spot on target with your comments. Voters must remember that our “ elected officials” have made the decisions which resulted in this tragic and continuing event. We get what we vote for. Money and tax collections are never more important than human life.
I feel we need to close back down because I feel it’s getting worse than the first . People are out and about protesting and spreading the corona virus ? and not worried about the next I feel if we shut down it will stop the protesting and slow down the virus.and I feel the kids should not be going back to school we are the adults to protect the kids and not throw them out in harms way .. shut down to protect us all..
I watched it and agree with him that Austin, Texas and Austin County require different approaches. There does not need to be a mandate for masks. This is not normal and never will be. It’s your business if you want to wear one but don’t tread on my rights to not wear one. Covid is becoming an excuse to limit our rights and erase American history. The “movement” is now saying statues of Jesus and stained glass with his picture now need to be destroyed because they are racist. This is a full blown attack on civilization as we know it. Roughly 2000 people have died in a population of 5 million here in Texas. Those numbers don’t lie. That’s less than auto accidents but do we stop driving cars because people get in wrecks?
Bexar, Harris and Travis county have it right. Obviously we can’t rely on our fellow Texans to follow the recommendations; that’s clear in the current numbers across the state. The guidelines have been too loose and too many have gotten comfortable. It’s time to stop expecting everyone to do their part in protecting others and begin mandating better safety measures because what we’re doing now is not working. This is just another beginning of things getting worse.
Masks are the single best way we can all protect each other. They need to be mandatory, not just encouraged.
Thank you Governor Abbott for your candor and honesty! It is so refreshing coming from someone engaged in the business of politics given the hostile climate & temperament of so many politicians toward the tax paying public when questioned about public policy that affects their lives! This insensitivity and lack of compassionate empathy along with arrogant ignorance is not to be tolerated anymore from those WE PAY TO SERVE OUR PUBLIC INTEREST!
To mandate the wearing of face masks without being able to enforce it will do little. Coronavirus may be with us for longer than any of us would like. to admit. It is up to the general public to exercise common sense and to err on the side of caution when it comes to our aging community & innocent children. Let us as intelligent beings resolve to do what we can and leave the rest to our omnipotent GOD.
The statistics cited by Abbott soundly defeats the argument of some who insist that Texas has flattened the curve of COVID-19. My mother taught me that “numbers don’t lie”.