Texas

[tcufrog]

Tarrant County will be requiring masks in businesses starting Friday night at 6 pm until August 3. The penalty for a business not doing so is a $1,000 fine. Pretty much a slap on the wrist but it's a start.

 

[gwynne]

This was bound to happen in Texas. Covid is here to stay, plenty of asymptomatic carriers, but it’s not a death sentence. We just have to be smart and handle things going forward with care.

Loved ones of the 122,000 folks who have died from covid (so far) might disagree about the death sentence.
Pretty easy to "be smart." Wear a mask and socially distance.
The love thy neighbor stuff that we learned as kids applies here. It's doable. We just have to care.

 

[tex1989]

I have lived in Texas my whole life and am just south of Houston and have a farm north of College Station (A&M). I am a little worried about the rise in cases but can honestly say that so much of the back and forth and the attitudes are based on over reaction followed by under reaction. First County Commissioner Judges try early on to put in place mandatory mask wearing and impose $1,000 fines for not wearing one and up to 1 year jail time. At the same time they are letting criminals out of the county jail so they won't get COVID. So the governor comes out and says you cannot do that and Law Enforcement says we will not enforce it. Then we roll along and restrictions are loosened and all of a sudden cases go up. So now Governor says you can fine businesses if they let people in without masks or they will be fined so those who did not wear masks the first time because the governor said local officials could not enforce that feel that they don't have to wear masks and are flaunting the business signs that say you cannot enter without a mask. In the middle of all this the George Floyd thing pops up and they have the service and burial and we have celebrities, politicians, and activists fly in from all over the place to have over 1,000 people sit in a church together to have services. This at the same time that a funeral held two days before in the same cemetery was limited to 10 socially distanced attendees. Prior to that many who have lost loved ones could not even have a funeral or memorial service.

So where I am going with this is that officials are not going to give anyone clear signals about any of this. Make your own choices and follow what is right based on what you believe. In the end you win out over something like this by everyone being smarter than your elected officials. And don't assume we are all idiots in Texas, we are not. We have a strong independent streak and a bunch of goofballs playing hardball with each other where our health hangs in the balance. I wear a mask when I am out, don't go out much and spend my leisure time at my farm. In the end, where ever you are, just do the right thing!

 

[msdaisy]

Another Texan and I completely agree. Let's not forget that we have the lieutenant governor who declared that the elderly would willingly sacrifice their lives for the economy.

Yes! He literally said there are more important things than living! He said that! Ummmmm

Ton of the Some of you may die, but it’s a sacrifice I’m willing to make memes popped up after that.

 

[Sandiz08]

Loved ones of the 122,000 folks who have died from covid (so far) might disagree about the death sentence.
Pretty easy to "be smart." Wear a mask and socially distance.
The love thy neighbor stuff that we learned as kids applies here. It's doable. We just have to care.

Should have said not a death sentence“ for everyone”. High risk groups should definitely quarantine, I have grandparents who have done so since March and I will not visit them until all this is over. People should wear masks , and socially distance, just be smart and live their life the best they can at this point.

 

[Planogirl]

So the governor put the brakes on continued reopening today. Does that really amount to much? I only heard that elective surgeries have to be postponed in certain areas.

 

[AustinTink]

So the governor put the brakes on continued reopening today. Does that really amount to much? I only heard that elective surgeries have to be postponed in certain areas.

That's all I heard, too. He just stopped us from going to phase 5 of reopening. He needs to do much more.

 

[Planogirl]

That's all I heard, too. He just stopped us from going to phase 5 of reopening. He needs to do much more.

I expect that he will continue to do pretty much nothing.

I work mostly on the phone and a few commented to me today that they're hearing a lot about Texas. Always nice to be in the news.

 

[Owlpost23]

Illinois here. Over the months, a lot of complaints at the governor and Chicago mayor about opening too slowly. They took the barbs, stayed the course, opening in a very methodical, well-planned process. Numbers are way down. People are complaining less. I just hope, as we are slowly opening bit by bit, that we do not slide backwards.

Yep,we're doing really well here! Of course the dissenters are ******* and moaning about it,but they're not sick.Idiots.

 

[Starport Seven-Five]

 

[Planogirl]

View attachment 504160

New Mexico is who should build a wall. Sigh....

 

[SamFaniam]

New Mexico is who should build a wall. Sigh....

Well, someone already mentioned there should be one on our border with Colorado...

 

[chicagodisneyfan]

No need to wear a mask or shield if not required or socially distancing.

WHAT?? There is a need to wear a mask if not required - its called decency and care for others!

 

[AustinMommyofThree]

WHAT?? There is a need to wear a mask if not required - its called decency and care for others!

It's almost as if tact, couth, class, diplomacy and etiquette all had one thing in common. But sadly, it's that they are extinct in certain self-centered segments of society.

Really, it's just very sad that common sense isn't very common anymore.

 

[leebee]

That's all I heard, too. He just stopped us from going to phase 5 of reopening. He needs to do much more.

PHASE 5??? I live in a state with <3100 cases, in a county with 105 cases of Covid-19, and we are waiting to go to stage 3. I have no clue as to what phase 5 even IS!! Southern Maine is basically an extension of the Boston-bedroom communities, so our governor was cautiously following the NY/CT/MA coalition while also communicating with NH/VT, which are states more like Maine in location, finances, and community structure. She came down hard at first (like NY), then lightened up on the counties that showed no community transmission (like NH/VT). We are still split, but there isn't a lot of "freedoms" restored yet. Restaurants have been doing curbside takeout but are now open with distancing between tables and a strong preference for outdoor seating. Bars, nail salons, and gyms still aren't open. Most non-essential retail stores have re-opened (just a week or two ago). In the southern part of the state, the majority of people are still wearing masks faithfully, but up here where I live? Not so much. I bet 70% of the people I see in stores aren't wearing masks. With behaviors like this I don't think we'll EVER get to phase 5.

 

[TLSnell1981]

PHASE 5??? I live in a state with <3100 cases, in a county with 105 cases of Covid-19, and we are waiting to go to stage 3. I have no clue as to what phase 5 even IS!! Southern Maine is basically an extension of the Boston-bedroom communities, so our governor was cautiously following the NY/CT/MA coalition while also communicating with NH/VT, which are states more like Maine in location, finances, and community structure. She came down hard at first (like NY), then lightened up on the counties that showed no community transmission (like NH/VT). We are still split, but there isn't a lot of "freedoms" restored yet. Restaurants have been doing curbside takeout but are now open with distancing between tables and a strong preference for outdoor seating. Bars, nail salons, and gyms still aren't open. Most non-essential retail stores have re-opened (just a week or two ago). In the southern part of the state, the majority of people are still wearing masks faithfully, but up here where I live? Not so much. I bet 70% of the people I see in stores aren't wearing masks. With behaviors like this I don't think we'll EVER get to phase 5.

Stages are not uniform from state to state.

 

[AustinTink]

PHASE 5??? I live in a state with <3100 cases, in a county with 105 cases of Covid-19, and we are waiting to go to stage 3. I have no clue as to what phase 5 even IS!! Southern Maine is basically an extension of the Boston-bedroom communities, so our governor was cautiously following the NY/CT/MA coalition while also communicating with NH/VT, which are states more like Maine in location, finances, and community structure. She came down hard at first (like NY), then lightened up on the counties that showed no community transmission (like NH/VT). We are still split, but there isn't a lot of "freedoms" restored yet. Restaurants have been doing curbside takeout but are now open with distancing between tables and a strong preference for outdoor seating. Bars, nail salons, and gyms still aren't open. Most non-essential retail stores have re-opened (just a week or two ago). In the southern part of the state, the majority of people are still wearing masks faithfully, but up here where I live? Not so much. I bet 70% of the people I see in stores aren't wearing masks. With behaviors like this I don't think we'll EVER get to phase 5.

Yep, it's pretty nuts. Bars and gyms opened in the last phase and I believe salons were the stage prior here. The bars have been packed. I've seen crowded dance floors on facebook.

 

[monsterkitty]

Well, someone already mentioned there should be one on our border with Colorado...

But if they build that wall, I will have to eat Pueblo Chiles instead of Hatch! Will there be a way around or over this wall? Please tell me yes!

 

[SamFaniam]

But if they build that wall, I will have to eat Pueblo Chiles instead of Hatch! Will there be a way around or over this wall? Please tell me yes!

Tunnels! Think about how those Hatch chiles will taste even better when they are contraband!

 

[HMcH]

As a north Texan who lurks these forums and rarely ventures into the Community Board, I'm surprised to find some borderline cultural and political posts in here.

That said, the question is can we force the genie back into the bottle. It is my understanding that the goal was always to "flatten the curve", meaning that the virus is so virulent that the experts knew that the majority would eventually catch it. The lock down and stay at home was to give the hospitals and medical field the time to prepare. I believe anyone who had expectations that we could stop this virus weren't listening or have a political agenda. We have seen a rapid increase in positive cases, and the Governor is allowing the local municipalities to deal with it as they see fit. Near me both Dallas and Fort Worth have mandated masks within businesses. I'd hope that Denton and Collin follow suite. Wearing a mask while shopping or in close quarters indoors but not wearing one while walking around the neighborhood and able to distance is a perfectly acceptable and informed decision.

When radicals on both sides get too loud, it's a sign they are desperate to be heard. People are scared right now, but no one knows all the answers. I try not to judge others because their answers may be slightly different than mine.