Masks don't prevent the spread, they slow it. They also represent awareness in the communities.
The masks didn't shut down businesses. The government did in an attempt to curb the spread of the virus.

As yet, I still have yet to find out anyone I know has had it or anyone who has died from it. I have family spread out across the central and eastern states. Not only has nobody I personally know been exposed to the actual virus, they know of nobody who has either.

On the south coast of Mississippi where I live, masks were only partially in use throughout the pandemic and we have a lower saturation of reported infections. My specific community is small population, plus its a tourist town.
The shut down affected the tourist season and we had less people over the duration of the pandemic. BUT, the night clubs and bars are still open for the most part and last I saw, not many people wearing masks.

The issue of this pandemic is population density.
COVID is a multiple path borne pathogen.
A fluid born pathogen transmits by body fluid exchange. Most STDs are fluid/blood born pathogens. Covid also transmits via body fluid exchange/contamination.
A surface born pathogen transmits by contact with an infected surface. Most bacterial infection is surface transmitted. Covid also transmits from surface contact.
An air born pathogen transmits by breathing air which has the pathogen in it. The flu and common cold are also air born. Covid is also an air born pathogen.

Since covid is a multiple path born pathogen, population density plays a bigger role in transmission rates. Places where fewer people live or work has a lower transmission rate than crowded places. However, covid has what is called (by me) a limited shelf life. In other words, covid dies without a host. A door knob that is used 1000 times per day by hundreds of different people is more infectious than a door knob used 10 times by 2 people per day.

Basically, stay away from high population centers if you don't want to use protection. Its the same thing as using selective breeding and STD protection. Most people have no problem using condoms and selecting the right sex partner. Not many people would go to a big city and have sex with as many people as possible without using condoms.

The difference is, the government doesn't MAKE you use a condom. Its always YOUR CHOICE. I think pandemic issues should be the same.
It should be YOUR CHOICE to use a mask.

If you have sex with a hooker without protection and get an STD, its your choice. If you choose to go to a city and spend a night in a crowded nightclub without protection and get covid, its your choice.
The government needs to do their jobs and leave their citizens the freedom to make their own choices.

http://youtu.be/54NWWRGLPA4


Texas National Anthem


Live free, or GTFO!

Well said. I couldn't agree more!

Flu rates are down but that is being attributed to the success of covid precautions such as social distancing .. hand hygiene and mask wearing. Some countries rolled out influenza vaccine programmes early with increased numbers opting to be vaccinated . Likely a decrease in respiratory testing for flu and avoidance /reluctance by people to seek medical help are also factors . The reduction in international travel would definitely reduce the Impact of new seasonal flu strains around the world .

As for Texas ... the coming weeks will be interesting to see unfold . There are definitely regions within Texas with higher infection rates and hospitalisations ., such areas Ideally should remain more controlled from a public health perspective . Although covid vaccination is underway in Texas only a small percentage have been vaccinated to date . Programmes should initially target high risk zones as well as vulnerable groups .

Uk, Brazil And South African variants of covid have been identified in Texas . I have no doubts covid will make the most of any opportunity it is given . Perhaps rather than removing mandates the states of Texas can look at better supporting business and individuals who are struggling.

Florida and Texas which have been less restrictive with businesses and schools closures don't have a higher infection or hospitalization rate than California, New York, New Jersey and Michigan. Private and faith based schools have remained open for "in person" learning with no problems while "public" schools controlled by teachers unions have been closed causing a notable negative impact on students learning and mental heath. The results of actions, both negative and positive, need to be recognized.
Are people to live in fear forever? Life never has been and never will be risk free.

To everyone freaking out over Gov. Abbott lifting the mask mandate in Texas, and allowing Businesses to 100%, relax. He's not ordering you to take off your mask. He's giving you the freedom to choose to take off or keep the mask. He's not ordering businesses to open up 100%. He's giving businesses the freedom to decide for themselves to what extent they want to open. It's this little thing called "liberty." If you want to keep wearing the mask, keep wearing the mask. If you own a business and can survive at 30% capacity, and you want to stay at 30%, more power to you. If you're afraid and want to stay home. Stay home. The only thing the Governor did was give you back your liberty. I for one will say thank you to him and exercise my freedom, as long as I feel comfortable with what I choose then it should be my choice. I will comply with a business choice if I choose to go there.

I haven’t compared infection rates in the rest of the USA as this thread was about Texas lifting the mask mandate . .. I do recall New York being severely hit at the start of this pandemic .

Sure life will never be risk free and I understand the frustrations that come with loss of control. The situation we face now is largely due to years of underfunding of medical services that have not kept pace with population growth . A lot of fear throughout this pandemic has been as a result of the inability of hospitals to cope with covid hospitalisations ... (Especially the ICU environment ) , lack of medical resources and lack of qualified staff . Perhaps future pandemic preparedness will address some of these issues .

If you or a loved one required care in ICU either as a result of covid or a critical care issue and that care was not available .. .. how would that make you feel ?? Would that loss of control be comparable to being told to wear a mask or social distance ??? That is not a scenario I would want for anyone . Yes it may not happen .. but there is as much probability that it will .. .viral pandemics are unpredictable .

I Sincerely wish Texas lots of luck ... will be crossing my fingers and toes from afar x

It's not about loss of control......it's about loss of freedom. No one is being told they can't wear a mask. No business is being forced to lift their requirement for customers to wear masks. What is happening in Texas is people are being treated like adults rather than like children who can't make good decisions.

Where I live restaurants can open from 4am until 10pm.......no reason was given for the hours being allowed by the government. They must be following the science that covid only spreads from 10:01pm until 3:59am.....right???

Personally I am in a high risk group, I have been very cautious. If I have to go to the store I do so during the week when there are fewer people shopping. That is my choice based on my tolerance for risk. Others should make their choices based on their tolerance for risk....NOT my tolerance.

Tom, I usually agree with everything you say, but I do have a problem comparing the freedom to wear or not wear a condom with the freedom to wear or not wear a mask. The difference is that when you have enjoyed your sex, you can take off the condom and dispose of it with no further worries.

If you choose not to wear a mask and catch the virus you will not know you have it for a week. In that time you cold infect others because you are not wearing a mask and you do not know you are infectious.

Granted that masks only reduce the chance of infection, I still think that people who attend places where many people are gathered should all wear masks in case they are incubating the virus.

Can people be trusted to understand this and wear a mask? If so, make it optional, but if not, people could be required by law to wear one in situations where many people are gathered together, shops, sports events and churches in particular.

Here in England we have lockdown. Schools started back on Monday and other activities will slowly resume but our government will be looking at the statistics and slowing down the return to normal if the number of cases starts to increase. At the moment, our lockdown has been reducing the number of new cases and deaths and of course we want to keep it that way.

Personally I find masks uncomfortable and so I don't go to places where they are required, except for the purchase of food because I can't avoid that!

Mike, I don't see a difference.
If you have sex without a condom you can catch an STD then spread it not knowing you are infectious. I don't wear my mask everytime I go outside. I put it on before I go into a crowded place and take it off when I come out. Unlike condoms, my masks are homemade and washable so I don't throw them away after every use.
In the states, the freedoms we enjoy includes the freedom to wear protective equipment or not (tho some jobs require PPE use as part of their ethics and insurance protection), depending on the reason and the threat potential. The freedom to get innoculations or not.
I DO wear my mask but as I've said before, I wear it more because it is a social standard than how threatened I feel.

I am still wearing mines. Houston, TX.

Many places will still require a mask to be worn.. Which is fine with me I will comply but where I don't have to wear one I will choose not to. My main concern is businesses are allowed to open up without limits.. This is the only way businesses will be able to survive. At least those that have not already had to shut their doors. Maybe there will be hope for them to come back..

In Texas you AREN'T MANDATED to wear a mask but you AREN'T prevented from wearing a mask. You HAVEN'T been ORDERED to NOT wear a mask by someone acting like a totalitarian dictator.

You should wear a mask if that's what YOU want to do, if it makes you feel safer. If you DON'T feel safe going into a business that doesn't require a mask you shouldn't go in that business.

The cancellation of a mask mandate doesn't take away your choice or freedom, it gives you a choice and gives you freedom.

with all of the differnt strains out there now ... I will try and wear...
my mask ... even tho they lifted the mandate here too... I don't think I have ever wanted a shot before now ... I don't even get the shots for the flue or pneumonia... maybe becouse so many had died from this ... an they did not get to see a good friend or loved one ... and had to be thrown in ice trucks for a while so not to cause more deaths ... an the morgue where filled ... an all those who help others and can not see their family's ...becouse of fear of the spread ... just seems a lot of bad came with this one ... an sadness...

I am thankful the government an governors that is and has helped during this time an volunteers ... getting the shots our to people ... an $ in this crisis ... for people who are in need & food... gosh you can thank so many that have helped ... sometimes is mind boggling... really ...

Yeah Baby!!!!

good for texas...4 days later and nothing in the news...

florida has been big on that, the governor of florida a while ago following trumps lead gave the option to the individual counties on how they wanted to procede...

personally i think the covid and lockdown were blown up so the rich could get richer while closing down middle class businesses and churches, as a result many closed

I think we can see by the biden people who have largely ignored this that it is not the great boogey man they said...

helped them get elected...so was useful in it's time....

"manufacturing consent" a great title don't u think, is a documentary put together by noah chomsky....it's over 2 hours and he is very bland....but the title is great he could have made the movie half and hour and it would have gone viral....

The situation here in England, as I see it, is that the government has decided to end the legal requirement to wear masks and isolate from other people only because they can no longer afford to pay the the furlough money to companies. The logic is that if they remove the 'legal requirements' they are no longer mandated to provide financial compensation to those affected.

So, it's a simple money-saving political move and nothing to do with whether the wearing of masks is, or is not, effective against the spread of Covid. It is now up to individuals to wear a mask if they so wish.

The advice from WHO remains that people should wear a mask in most situations and here in the UK that advice remains mandatory in many places like hospitals and GP pactices. It is also recommended that we test for the virus but the test kits are no longer free of charge.

I guess that's because after buying the booze for the illegal parties they had recently in parliament, there isn't enough left to buy test kits for the public...