Texas to open 100%

[Joe in VA]

Yet some people posting here from Florida say they really aren't open. Not sure what to think of all that.

Every restaurant I've been to in Florida in the last month has been completely open. Every seat at every table full, no distancing, bar open with every seat available. They were allowed to do this legally starting in late September but it was a slow trickle towards being full blown open in reality.

 

[amylevan]

Yet some people posting here from Florida say they really aren't open. Not sure what to think of all that.

I’m wondering if that’s just perspective. If you haven’t left Florida it may feel closed because it is definitely more closed than it was in 2019. But those of us coming from other states that are more heavily restricted, Florida feels like the Wild West.

 

[fancymouse]

Yet some people posting here from Florida say they really aren't open. Not sure what to think of all that.

I live in SoFL and I’m pretty sure localities still have different requirements. Last summer north Florida had wildly different restrictions than SoFL. Bars weren’t allowed to open at all here for a long time, but they were definitely open in places like Jacksonville. Beaches were closed here, but open north of Palm Beach County. Honestly I haven’t paid much attention to how the official restrictions have changed (although I think bars are open now), but we went to dinner this weekend and the restaurant was still operating at a reduced capacity. I’m not sure if this is the rule or if this was voluntary on the restaurant’s part. Personally I thing this flexibility was great. SoFL was hit much, much harder than the rest of FL. Allowing places to open up at different times made much more sense than treating all of FL the same.

In general, FL was way more open than a lot of places in the country at most points during this pandemic. Sure, it wasn’t completely open, but I believe SoFL was operating at 50% capacity in restaurants since at least last fall. So yeah, our area hasn’t always been completely open, but compared to New York, we’ve been open.

 

[Timandalicia]

Are you purposely misunderstanding this? An umbrella keeps you dry in the rain. Closing the umbrella because you’re dry doesn’t mean it’s not raining anymore. Meaning, take away the protection of the umbrella in the storm and you’re going to get wet. You’ll only stay dry if you leave it open.

I’ve personally never been a fan of all or nothing but good luck to Texas.

Ironic that you have to explain this metaphor. That is a metaphor itself.

 

[Timandalicia]

Sure. If you had an umbrella made of lace.

I don’t understand your expansion of the metaphor.

 

[Dan Murphy]

the state lifting the mandate does not mean that local units of government aren't allowed to have their own mandates

I think the guy who runs FL and also I think GA, back when they did not want masks worn, said local governments could not mandate differently than dictated by the state. I think there were a number of outlier states like that.

 

[Timandalicia]

Since January 1st, 2020, 35,478 children under the age of 18 died in America.

204 of them were from Covid.


No school, no sports, no friends....

For what? Is the damage we are doing to our youth worth the extremely minimal risk?

Because children can be carriers.

I have 3 children and they have sports, school, and friends.

 

[DLgal]

Yet some people posting here from Florida say they really aren't open. Not sure what to think of all that.

Yup. My parents live in the Orlando area and they say there are still capacity restrictions at a LOT of places. It's not full on open with no restrictions. Their community gym is still closed and they have capacity limits at their pools too.

 

[DLgal]

Because children can be carriers.

I have 3 children and they have sports, school, and friends.

But they are largely not the ones responsible for spreading covid either within schools or bringing it back home. It's the teachers and staff doing the bulk of that.

 

[Christine]

Yup. My parents live in the Orlando area and they say there are still capacity restrictions at a LOT of places. It's not full on open with no restrictions. Their community gym is still closed and they have capacity limits at their pools too.

Okay, that's what I thought I heard. When people say that Texas in now modeling Florida which has been "fully" open for a while, I swear I didn't think Florida had been. My parents have a second home down there and I have some friends living there (central Florida area) and my impression from them was that there were many restrictions and still many people keeping a low profile.

 

[danissmart]

I don’t understand your expansion of the metaphor.

Your umbrella doesn't work anyway, so who cares if you put it away.

 

[VandVsmama]

If someone is alarmed by a state removing its state-wide executive branch emergency executive orders mandating mask wearing everywhere & other such restrictions, people have several freedoms to choose from:

1. You can still go ahead and order your groceries online and do a bring-it-to-your-car pick up.

2. Or you can go grocery shopping in the wee hours of the morning when nobody else is there.

3. You can still wear a mask everywhere.

4. You can still stay home almost 100% of the time.

5. You can still stay away from people if you want to.

6. You don't HAVE to socialize with people.

7. If you have a job where you literally don't have to ever leave the house for work, then even better.

8. You have the freedom to stock up on months' worth of groceries.

9. You can get your prescriptions sent to you mail order.

10. If you have children and your local school district is eliminating online instruction and switching everybody back to in person learning, you could switch gears and home school your kids. Parents all over the US have been doing that for decades already.

You don't need the government to mandate it. You can remain a hermit if you want to. You have a lot of freedom to do so.

 

[DLgal]

Okay, that's what I thought I heard. When people say that Texas in now modeling Florida which has been "fully" open for a while, I swear I didn't think Florida had been. My parents have a second home down there and I have some friends living there (central Florida area) and my impression from them was that there were many restrictions and still many people keeping a low profile.

Yep. My parents are now fully vaccinated but are still not going out much. Their doctors have urged them to continue being cautious for a few more months and keep wearing masks until more people get vaccinated, etc. Both are high risk for covid complications. My mom said they really only go out to places like Panera or CPK and they have reduced indoor capacity still.

 

[danissmart]

You don't need the government to mandate it. You can remain a hermit if you want to. You have a lot of freedom to do so.

Indeed! The problem is, it's not fair if you don't share their fears.

 

[Brett Wyman]

 

[Kae]

Who’s eligible for a vaccine in Texas? Can frontline workers at restaurants, grocery stores, and retailers, etc, get vaccinated already?

If not, that’s really unfortunate for any one who’s stuck trying to make a living but has concerns for their health or that of potentially vulnerable family members.

But you can choose to social distance, wear a mask and limit your own exposure. And create your own social bubble. And you can do so at work. What about all the business that can't open up how do those employees make a living?

 

[Timandalicia]

Your umbrella doesn't work anyway, so who cares if you put it away.

In my metaphor the umbrella works. “You’re not getting wet”. You are ignoring that fact in my metaphor.

Maybe you are doing the same in other areas? Might be something to self-reflect on.

 

[Mackenzie Click-Mickelson]

Everybody here realizes that the state lifting the mandate does not mean that local units of government aren't allowed to have their own mandates and that private businesses can still place whatever restrictions they want correct? It seems there is a lot of hand wringing about a mandate that was largely ignored in rural areas to begin with, is of questionable efficacy, and dubious Constitutionality. I chose to wear a mask before there was a mandate, I'll continue to wear a mask in most situations for the forseeable future, but as my choice.

But didn't TX make it so the counties couldn't actually enforce their own mask mandates if they chose to? They can have them but they can't enforce them.

 

[BrianL]

Taking COVID precautions is not about fear but about responsibility - we have to contain the spread as best we can. It's not an all-or-nothing proposition though. We seem to have found a place where reasonable restrictions have worked reasonably well. Of course people can continue to follow the guidelines, and I'm sure many businesses will still be requiring them, but when the government removes the mandates they are encouraging people not to. It is exceptionally frustrating because we are so close right now to ending this thing - can't they just hold on? Even in a few more weeks we may see the declines continue and vaccination rates shoot up - maybe then we could think about it. It just seems too soon.

 

[sam_gordon]

Okay, that's what I thought I heard. When people say that Texas in now modeling Florida which has been "fully" open for a while, I swear I didn't think Florida had been. My parents have a second home down there and I have some friends living there (central Florida area) and my impression from them was that there were many restrictions and still many people keeping a low profile.

Are the restrictions put out by the government or by the business/organization? Just because Texas' governor says "We're open" doesn't mean a business/organization can't put in their own restrictions... like Florida.