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Texas is facing a turning point in the state’s fight against COVID-19.
Texas Governor Greg Abbott (R), who is fully vaccinated, tested positive for COVID-19 this week as his state’s deaths from the coronavirus have more than doubled in the past two weeks and hospitals run out of capacity achieved.
While Abbott suffered a relatively rare breakthrough infection, less than half of the state’s total population is fully vaccinated against the virus, putting them at high risk of developing COVID-19.
The massive spike in cases could also easily continue to rise as unvaccinated students across the state head to school this week in a battle with Abbott over mask mandates in classes to protect children under 12 who have not yet had the chance to get vaccinated to return .
The dynamic has made everyone nervous and has led to heated political battles between Abbott and the democratic leaders of several urban centers.
“We are concerned about increasing numbers. Our cases yesterday were higher than our 7 day moving average, our hospital stays higher than our 7 day moving average, intensive care units higher than our 7 day moving average, so we are still very concerned about the numbers we have see “Austin Mayor Steve Adler (D) told The Hill on Wednesday.
“We know that the best and really only way out of this long-term situation is to get vaccinated. So we are doing everything we can to get more and more people vaccinated.”
Austin is one of a handful of Texas cities that have opposed Abbott’s executive order against masked mandates. The Texas Supreme Court earlier this week issued an interim order banning mask mandates issued in cities like Dallas and San Antonio.
Following the ruling, Abbott defended the decision to ban mask mandates and tweeted that “the ban does not prohibit the use of masks. Anyone who wants to wear a mask can do so, even in schools. “
At the same time, however, Texas is seeing a massive spike in COVID-19 cases. It counts an average of 15,500 new cases per day, with hospitals and intensive care units being almost full or full in many areas.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) estimate that nearly 94 percent of Texas counties have high transmission. Only eight out of 254 counties do not fall under the agency’s recommendations for fully vaccinated individuals to wear masks indoors.
Out of all states, according to the Department of Health, Texas ranks second for most adults with confirmed COVID-19 in hospitals and intensive care units, behind Florida.
The Lone Star State has the most hospitalized children with confirmed COVID-19 diagnoses, with 196 children now, compared to the 190 pediatric hospitalizations in Florida.
Democrat Mike Collier, who is running for lieutenant governor, called the COVID-19 situation in Texas a “nightmare” and blamed the current administration for causing Abbott and Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick (R) didn’t motivate residents to get the vaccine.
“They only let this virus run free for political reasons,” Collier told The Hill. “And the scientists told us there would be variations, and that’s exactly what happened. And I put that at their feet. “
Abbott and Patrick spokespersons have not responded to requests for comment.
President BidenJoe BidenBriahna Joy Gray: Democrats Play “Chicken Game” With Infrastructure Bills Overnight Defense: Top General Confirms Information Missed Speed Of Afghan Collapse Overnight Healthcare: US Begins Booster Shots Sep 20 | Biden calls for COVID-19 vaccination for all nursing home workers | Democrats take COVID mandates in gubernatorial races MORE has also called on Republican governors who have banned mask mandates, including Abbott and Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis
Ron DeSantis – Tampa Area School District Imposes Mask Requirement After 10,000 Students Forced Overnight Healthcare Isolation: US Begins Booster Syringes Sept. 20 | Biden calls for COVID-19 vaccination for all nursing home workers | Democrats welcome COVID mandates at gubernatorial races Biden urges governors to oppose school mask mandates MOREto “avoid” schools and businesses looking to implement COVID-19 restrictions.
“Unfortunately, as we saw during this pandemic, some politicians are trying to turn public safety measures with children wearing masks in schools into political disputes for their own political gain,” Biden said during a speech on Wednesday. “Some are even trying to take power away from local educators by banning masks in schools. You are setting a dangerous tone. “
“I made it clear that I stand by those who try to do the right thing,” added the president.
Adler said he hoped Abbott’s mild encounter with the virus – the governor says it’s not symptomatic – would encourage Texans to get vaccinated.
“I hope that the more people see breakthrough cases that don’t lead to hospital admissions and that are relatively mild, the more people trust the vaccines and are willing to take them,” Adler told The Hill.
But Jamarr Brown, the Texas Democratic Party’s deputy director, said he doesn’t think Abbott’s experience will change the governor’s approach.
“He has to change something,” said Brown. “Will he? I don’t know.”
“He is putting schools and children at risk for his own political gain,” he added.
Only 45.5 percent of the total Texas population and 56.6 percent of adults are fully vaccinated against the virus.
The state’s lower vaccination rate is playing a “big role” in the current wave of COVID-19, said Angela Clendenin, a teaching assistant at Texas A & M University’s School of Public Health.
She noted that the state has reached a point where not enough residents are receiving the vaccination, which gives the virus the opportunity to mutate and develop more communicable variants like the Delta strain.
“It’s just like this great, big space for the virus to keep infecting and even further mutating people,” she said. “The low vaccination rate, the lack of mask requirements, everything that leads to a stronger wave in the future.”
David Dowdy, associate professor of epidemiology at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, said Texas was not an “outlier” as much of the country is battling Delta, but that COVID-19 has become “widespread” in the state recently may be.
The back-to-school season could give the virus “another jump start,” he said. He recommended that officials focus on finding out where the transmission is taking place, such as in schools, and taking steps to prevent it from spreading.
“The only thing that matters is that we recognize that policies that are put in place now don’t have to last forever,” said Dowdy. “But as the number of cases is increasing, it is important for us to react before things get further out of hand.”
Some school districts have already encountered roadblocks this year, with the Iraan-Sheffield Independent School District in West Texas announcing a two-week closure starting Tuesday and Leander Independent School District reaching more than 100 cases in its first week of school.
Several school districts are finding ways to oppose the governor’s order against mask mandates.
The Paris, Texas school district announced Wednesday that masks would be part of the dress code. The Austin Independent School District said before the first day of school this week that masks were still required and noted that the Supreme Court ruling did not apply to the district.
Adler stressed the need to get vaccinated and wear masks to turn the tide of the pandemic. He also said discussions were ongoing about how to deal with mass events like the Austin City Limits music festival.
“I think we will have to live with this COVID virus for a while and learn how we can continue to live with this presence in our lives,” said Adler. “What I think that has to mean are more and more events and opportunities and activities that are really only open to vaccinated people.”
“I hope it helps to encourage some to get vaccinated who would otherwise not be able to,” he said.
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