Texas Gov. Greg Abbott announced Sunday that the state had zero daily COVID-19 deaths just two months after his reopening plan was slammed by President Biden as “Neanderthal thinking” Fox News reports.
The state reported the lowest seven-day positivity rate since the pandemic began, the fewest new cases in more than 13 months and the fewest COVID-19 hospitalizations in 11 months, according to state health data.
Abbott lifted the statewide mask mandate on March 2 announcing “it’s time to reopen Texas 100 percent.” Texas businesses reopened and last month the Texas Rangers’ stadium, Globe Life Field opened. President Biden criticized Texas, as well as Mississippi for relaxing lockdown measures, accusing state officials of “Neanderthal thinking.”
Today Texas reported:
* 0 Covid related deaths–the only time that's happened since data was tracked in March, 2020.
* the fewest Covid cases in over 13 months
* the lowest 7-day Covid positivity rate ever
* the lowest Covid hospitalizations in 11 months.
Thanks, Texans!
— Greg Abbott (@GregAbbott_TX) May 17, 2021
“I think it’s a big mistake,” Biden told reporters, following the announcement from Texas. “Look, I hope everybody’s realized by now, these masks make a difference. We are on the cusp of being able to fundamentally change the nature of this disease because of the way in which we’re able to get vaccines in people’s arms.”
Since then, however, caseloads nationwide have dropped.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention announced last Thursday that it’s safe for fully vaccinated Americans to forgo social distancing and go most places including indoor or outdoor without a mask. But Hawaii and Massachusetts have insisted they will keep their mask mandates in place, according to the report.