Texas to open 100%

[dreamer17555]

No government is ever going to tell me who I can and cannot have in my home. Just like Disney World is private property, so’s my house.

Umm the government tells people everyday what they can do in their house! Have some cocaine in your home? You can be arrested. Private businesses can make rules but the government has final say. Disney is choosing to be more restrictive than the state of FL requires but if CA allowed it Disneyland would have been opened up months ago. Yes the government does and can tell people what to do on their private property.

 

[sk!mom]

I hope that our governor knows what he is doing. I’m not comfortable with this.

I think we were reminded very recently that he does not.

We're going on a road trip this summer through Texas. Maybe we won't have to wear masks everywhere there!

Some pick and choose wearing them now and have throughout. By summer, I would bet that there is very little enforcement.

Anti-maskers have been so confrontational that even the places that are keeping a mask policy (H‑E‑B) have a policy that their employee will ask once and then walk away. “For the partners safety”

 

[choirfarm]

I think we were reminded very recently that he does not.



Some pick and choose wearing them now and have throughout. By summer, I would bet that there is very little enforcement.

Anti-maskers have been so confrontational that even the places that are keeping a mask policy (H‑E‑B) have a policy that their employee will ask once and then walk away. “For the partners safety)

Yeah has not been enforced around here, even in government buildings. When the mask mandate was put in place, most police and sheriff departments publicly said they would not enforce them. I had to vote in a small room where the people helping us to polling booth did not wear masks, nor did most of the people in the line. I was more exposed there than any time during this entire thing. I couldn't avoid it.

 

[VandVsmama]

I think we were reminded very recently that he does not.



Some pick and choose wearing them now and have throughout. By summer, I would bet that there is very little enforcement.

Anti-maskers have been so confrontational that even the places that are keeping a mask policy (H‑E‑B) have a policy that their employee will ask once and then walk away. “For the partners safety)

We intend to follow all of the local businesses' and local governments' rules. So if we go into, let's say, Buc-ee's, and at the entrance to Buc-ee's, it says to wear a mask, we'll put one on.

 

[redrosesix]

Some pick and choose wearing them now and have throughout. By summer, I would bet that there is very little enforcement.

Anti-maskers have been so confrontational that even the places that are keeping a mask policy (H‑E‑B) have a policy that their employee will ask once and then walk away. “For the partners safety)

That's sad. My province only has 1 million people but we were able to get to zero cases for 4 months just by everyone following the rules. and as soon as the case numbers stayed at zero for a while, the restrictions relaxed and it was really nice to eat at all the outdoor patios that restaurants set up. We all still bought a lot of stuff by delivery and many small businesses did great.

We recently had a spike and it took 2 months of restrictions to get back to zero cases per day but everyone knows what zero feels like and we all want to get back to that. Thankfully the federal government is now quarantining and testing people who enter the country so that will make a big difference going forward. We had the spike because we have a few people who refused to pay attention to the provincial quarantine rules.

I don't feel like my rights have been limited at all. I can still think and say whatever I want and like most people here, I think the requirement to wear masks in restaurants and stores is no different than the requirement to wear shoes or a shirt. If masks made no difference we would have the same number of influenza cases as we do every other year...which we don't.

I don't get the anti-maskers at all. If everyone worked together to get the case numbers down, the restrictions would be loosened for everyone.

 

[Olaf Myfrenzargay]

Here in the States we have what we call the Bill of Rights tho. It’s actually pretty cool because they come from our Creator not from Government, cool story.

 

[Planogirl]

Things can change under extreme conditions. You can argue that the COVID problem wasn’t extreme but there are steps the government can take to protect citizens. No basic civics lesson needed to understand that.

 

[Planogirl]

Here in the States we have what we call the Bill of Rights tho. It’s actually pretty cool because they come from our Creator not from Government, cool story.

If you are talking religion, that isn’t allowed on this forum.

 

[Starwarsfan2]

i still believe this whole mask thing was started by the opthalmologic cartel to gin up LASIK surgeries since those of us that rely on glasses stay fogged up all the danged time.

 

[Cheburashka]

If masks made no difference we would have the same number of influenza cases as we do every other year...which we don't.

I'm all in favor of mask-wearing, but that analogy is over-simplistic. School is a major (perhaps the biggest) vector of the flu, and this is a year in which about half of America's children have been learning at home, and the other half have been in classrooms that have fewer students & different seating arrangements & hygienic rules (such as sick students actually having to stay home, which believe it or not is a novelty at many schools). As a teacher, I've seen the huge difference that makes in terms of ordinary illnesses being passed around.

So while the general public wearing masks undoubtedly helps, I don't think that's the main reason flu numbers are down so much this winter. I think it's primarily because so many children have been kept at home this year, plus many adults also working at home, combined with a new culture that strongly encourages adults and children staying home when sick. And social distancing, with or without masks, is also very important and helpful in not spreading disease.

 

[Cheburashka]

Meanwhile people over 65 are still trying to find appointments in large cities like San Antonio.

People of all ages are struggling to find appointments in big cities in Texas. Small towns definitely have more availability, relative to the size of their populations.

 

[Cheburashka]

What am I missing that is being taken away?

Attending church, spending holidays with extended family, normal school & socialization for my child, being able to check out a book from our local library, being able to travel overseas, etc.

 

[ThistleMae]

In response to this the California governor recommended that people wear double masks I certainly hope stores don't try to enforce that one. I personally don't think the government should ever have made a mask mandate (of course the legalities and "enforceability" of such a thing is another debate). It should be up to the private businesses and institutions (like schools) to require it.

In general, I don't think the masks do much. I wear them to be polite in certain situations and when I'm required to, but I don't wear them outside in general. I certainly am not going to wear two!

I plan to wear two at the airport.

 

[snappy]

I was wearing 2 masks as well inside places except our house. I now wear one since its been 2 weeks since my second vaccine shot. I never felt the disposable ones I ordered fit tight enough on the sides or at the top or bottom. i bought 4 different types of cloth ones until I found one that is comfortable with adjustable ear strings. To me the disposable one is like a filter. My husband uses masks that have a large pocket for filters, so he has put the disposable mask inside the pocket.

 

[Olaf Myfrenzargay]

Instead of two masks, did these geniuses ever think to make existing masks twice as thick.

 

[snappy]

Instead of two masks, did these geniuses ever think to make existing masks twice as thick.

I have ordered cloth masks with 4 layers on Etsy. I also heard a report that level 3 disposable masks are thicker, so I ordered those too, once they were more readily available on Amazon.

 

[jlwhitney]

I'm all in favor of mask-wearing, but that analogy is over-simplistic. School is a major (perhaps the biggest) vector of the flu, and this is a year in which about half of America's children have been learning at home, and the other half have been in classrooms that have fewer students & different seating arrangements & hygienic rules (such as sick students actually having to stay home, which believe it or not is a novelty at many schools). As a teacher, I've seen the huge difference that makes in terms of ordinary illnesses being passed around.

So while the general public wearing masks undoubtedly helps, I don't think that's the main reason flu numbers are down so much this winter. I think it's primarily because so many children have been kept at home this year, plus many adults also working at home, combined with a new culture that strongly encourages adults and children staying home when sick. And social distancing, with or without masks, is also very important and helpful in not spreading disease.

People staying home when sick is probably the biggest effect.

 

[penn19]

Not that it will change anyone here's opinion but this is what is being said here in Texas. The mask mandate is being lifted, but as it was before the mandate any place of business, or organization, has the right to require people to wear masks within their facilities. Abbot has said that he thinks people are responsible enough and have lived with restrictions long enough that they will continue to follow safe practices of social distancing, hygiene, and mask wearing at appropriate times. Call it a Libertarian approach if you will. Having enough confidence that the individual will do the right thing. While I have certain Libertarian feelings when it comes to government myself, I also know how (hate to use the word but it is the only one that fits) "stupid" people can be. Locally where I live businesses are already stating that they will not be lifting the mask restrictions which is completely in their rights to do. All it means is that not wearing the mask in these places changes from violating a State Mandate to committing Criminal Trespass.

This is purely a political move saying the individual should have the right to make their own choice and the government should not be intruding on their personal lives.

My life, as a result of these changes will not change at all. To shop the stores say I have to wear a mask, to go out to eat the places I go still require a mask, my office will not reopen so I will still be working from home. At my age I don't go to bars or clubs so in the end nothing changes other than my wife and I have an appointment to get our first shot on Monday.

This exactly! People (media) just like to run with the shock value.

 

[sk!mom]

People of all ages are struggling to find appointments in big cities in Texas. Small towns definitely have more availability, relative to the size of their populations.

If you are in Texas, want a vax, and are willing to drive, message me. I know a small town that is scheduling anyone from anywhere. I was hoping my DD24 would be willing but in this big state, 4.5 hours was further than she’s willing to go. I have friends who don’t meet criteria who have driven though.

 

[ThistleMae]

I have ordered cloth masks with 4 layers on Etsy. I also heard a report that level 3 disposable masks are thicker, so I ordered those too, once they were more readily available on Amazon.

I made my own at the onset of the pandemic and they have two layers. I bought a package of regular ones just for my flight to Oklahoma in April and I have had two vaccines. Nothing wrong with being cautious.