BIG TEXAS, BIG STATE, BIG INFECTION RATE

The Something Awful Forums > Main > General Bullshit > BIG TEXAS, BIG STATE, BIG INFECTION RATE

Shinjobi: Jul 10, 2008; Gravy Boat 2k

Hold on tight, COVID--we've still got some high scores to shatter. :siren:

Governor Greg Abbott has chosen to rescind the statewide mask mandate and open businesses back up to 100% capacity should businesses choose to.

quote:

AUSTIN, Texas (AP) � Texas is lifting its mask mandate, Gov. Greg Abbott said Tuesday, making it the largest state to end an order intended to prevent the spread of the coronavirus that has killed more than 42,000 Texans.

The Republican governor has faced sharp criticism from his party over the mandate, which was imposed eight months ago, as well as other COVID-19 restrictions on businesses that Texas will also scuttle starting next week. The mask order was only ever lightly enforced, even during the worst outbreaks of the pandemic.

The repealed rules include doing away with limits on the number of diners or customers allowed indoors, said Abbott, who made the announcement at a restaurant in Lubbock. He said the new rules would take effect March 10, although leaders in Houston and other big Texas cities were already reacting with alarm.

�Removing statewide mandates does not end personal responsibility,� said Abbott, speaking from the crowded dining room where many of those surrounding him were not wearing masks.

�It�s just that now state mandates are no longer needed,� he said.

The decision comes as governors across the U.S. have been easing coronavirus restrictions, despite warnings from health experts that the pandemic is far from over. Like the rest of the country, Texas has seen the number of cases and deaths plunge. Hospitalizations are at the lowest levels since October, and the seven-day rolling average of positive tests has dropped to about 7,600 cases, down from more than 10,000 in mid-February.

Only California and New York have reported more COVID-19 deaths than Texas.

�The fact that things are headed in the right direction doesn�t mean we have succeeded in eradicating the risk,� said Dr. Lauren Ancel Meyers, a professor of integrative biology and director of the University of Texas COVID-19 Modeling Consortium.

She said the recent deadly winter freeze in Texas that left millions of people without power � forcing families to shelter closely with others who still had heat � could amplify transmission of the virus in the weeks ahead, although it remains too early to tell. Masks, she said, are one of the most effective strategies to curb the spread.

The top county leader in Houston, Harris County Judge Lina Hidalgo, called the announcement �wishful thinking� and said spikes in hospitalizations have followed past rollbacks of COVID-19 rules.

�At worst, it is a cynical attempt to distract Texans from the failures of state oversight of our power grid,� said Hidalgo, a Democrat.

Early in the pandemic, Abbott stripped local officials of their power to implement tougher COVID-19 restrictions, but now says counties can impose �mitigation strategies� if virus hospitalizations exceed 15% of all hospital capacity in their region. However, Abbott forbade local officials from imposing penalties for not wearing a face covering.

Abbott imposed the statewide mask mandate in July during a deadly summer surge. But enforcement was spotty at best, and some sheriffs refused to police the restrictions at all. And as the pandemic dragged on, Abbott ruled out a return to tough COVID-19 rules, arguing that lockdowns do not work.

Politically, the restrictions elevated tensions between Abbott and his own party, with the head of the Texas GOP at one point leading a protest outside the governor�s mansion. Meanwhile, mayors in Texas� biggest cities argued that Abbott wasn�t doing enough.

Most of the country has lived under mask mandates during the pandemic, with at least 37 states requiring face coverings to some degree. But those orders are increasingly falling by the wayside: North Dakota, Montana and Iowa have also lifted mask orders in recent weeks.

�Texas will experience more cases, more hospitalizations and more deaths,� state Rep. Richard Pe�a Raymond, a Democrat from the border city of Laredo, told Abbott in a letter Monday.

Laredo, whose population is predominately Latino, has endured some of the worst outbreaks of the pandemic, running out of beds in hospital intensive care units as recently as January. The international trade hub has been among Texas� most aggressive cities in trying to blunt the spread of the virus, taking measures that have included curfews.

�Elected by the people, your most fundamental obligation is their health and safety. Please do not abrogate your duty,� Raymond said.

Hey everybody let's talk about how I'm gonna get to stress test my lungs like never before!!!!

I guess you can just dunk on Texas for other stuff too, who even cares anymore. The flood gates are open in all sorts of ways today.

# ? Mar 2, 2021 22:20

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# ? Apr 25, 2024 09:56

Grondoth: Feb 18, 2011

Texas hates its citizens with a passion that can not be understated

# ? Mar 2, 2021 22:21

The Walrus: Jul 9, 2002; by Fluffdaddy

lol the usa is fuuuucked. can't wait for all those secondary symptoms to show up in 15-20 years.

# ? Mar 2, 2021 22:24

Derpies: Mar 11, 2014; by sebmojo

Lol loving Texas. Get decimated by cold weather and decide this is the best way to distract people. Sadly the idiots will keep voting in these idiots.

# ? Mar 2, 2021 22:31

Lil Swamp Booger Baby: Aug 1, 1981

They gonna die OP

# ? Mar 2, 2021 22:31

Shinjobi: Jul 10, 2008; Gravy Boat 2k

Lil Swamp Booger Baby posted:

They gonna die OP

# ? Mar 2, 2021 22:34

Who What Now: Sep 10, 2006; by Azathoth

Gregg couldn't be outdone by Ted Cruz

# ? Mar 2, 2021 22:37

Xenocides: Jan 14, 2008; This world looks very scary....

Reposting from another thread.

https://twitter.com/hypeoscar/status/1366847107676721152

# ? Mar 2, 2021 22:38

Derpies: Mar 11, 2014; by sebmojo

Maybe Idiocracy won't be a documentary now because all the chuds will die of COVID related secondary illnesses before returning to their spawning pools.

# ? Mar 2, 2021 22:39

big nipples big life: May 12, 2014

How long until we have the "Texas variant" that's immune to the current vaccines and more contagious and deadly?

# ? Mar 2, 2021 22:46

Derpies: Mar 11, 2014; by sebmojo

big nipples big life posted:

How long until we have the "Texas variant" that's immune to the current vaccines and more contagious and deadly?

Everythings bigger in Texas

# ? Mar 2, 2021 22:48

old beast lunatic: Nov 3, 2004; by Hand Knit

Texas is trying to create a sentient rona golem to replace Cruz in the senate

# ? Mar 2, 2021 22:49

Fucking Moron: Jan 9, 2009

Conservative values right here in Texas.

Thoughts and prayers you dumb loving primates.

# ? Mar 2, 2021 22:52

Zeluth: May 12, 2001; by Fluffdaddy

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HyGp98Xoq9g

# ? Mar 2, 2021 22:56

Harold Stassen: Jan 24, 2016

Time to charge up that poz crystal. :clint:

# ? Mar 2, 2021 22:56

UnfortunateSexFart: May 18, 2008; ð» ððð« ð·ððð·
ð ð ð ð« ð®ð ð¾ð ð ð¡ððð

Texas is getting more cases per day than my country has had since the start of the pandemic.

# ? Mar 2, 2021 22:57

Dumb Sex-Parrot: Dec 25, 2020

Stay safe Texans.

# ? Mar 2, 2021 22:58

Fartington Butts: Jan 21, 2007

I've been to a lotta lovely airports and Texas is home to the most miserable airport I've been stuck at for a few hours. The Dallas one. I hope I never visit that state again.

Edit: Despite my hateful screed I feel real bad for everyone that got hosed over bad by the storm. One dude I follow got his entire house wrecked and goddamn that sucks.

Fartington Butts fucked around with this message at 23:03 on Mar 2, 2021

# ? Mar 2, 2021 23:01

phasmid: Jan 16, 2015; Booty Shaker
SILENT MAJORITY

Things Texans fear completely:

- Charles Darwin
- Big Government
- Immigrants, in general
- Small trucks (make your peepee small)

Things Texans do not fear at all:

- Earth-spanning viral plagues

# ? Mar 2, 2021 23:01

Lil Swamp Booger Baby: Aug 1, 1981

Next thing you know Texas will declare open season on my cock and balls and I won't ever be free of nonstop CBT

# ? Mar 2, 2021 23:02

Jove Tone: Jan 12, 2006

*whip crack* Wahhh waahh waaa - a giant covid-19 virus rolls across a deserted Dallas freeway

# ? Mar 2, 2021 23:04

Shinjobi: Jul 10, 2008; Gravy Boat 2k

Fartington Butts posted:

I've been to a lotta lovely airports and Texas is home to the most miserable airport I've been stuck at for a few hours. The Dallas one. I hope I never visit that state again.

Edit: Despite my hateful screed I feel real bad for everyone that got hosed over bad by the storm. One dude I follow got his entire house wrecked and goddamn that sucks.

There are two in Dallas--big rear end super airport DFW or Dallas Love Field.

Both suck, to your point.

# ? Mar 2, 2021 23:06

The Walrus: Jul 9, 2002; by Fluffdaddy

edit: whoops meant this for the trump thread

The Walrus fucked around with this message at 23:11 on Mar 2, 2021

# ? Mar 2, 2021 23:08

Inverted Icon: Apr 8, 2020; by Athanatos

# ? Mar 2, 2021 23:10

Three Olives: Apr 10, 2005; What if Hitler invented the BMW i3 Subcompact Electric car?

Fartington Butts posted:

I've been to a lotta lovely airports and Texas is home to the most miserable airport I've been stuck at for a few hours. The Dallas one. I hope I never visit that state again.

Edit: Despite my hateful screed I feel real bad for everyone that got hosed over bad by the storm. One dude I follow got his entire house wrecked and goddamn that sucks.

DFW is OK, of all the airports I have spent time in over the world MIA can go gently caress itself.

# ? Mar 2, 2021 23:36

Fartington Butts: Jan 21, 2007

I remember DFW looking hella run down and having no good food options. Could be down to a bad experience.

Like... I hate ORD and I've been there a lot, but I expect it and at least they have Frontera.

# ? Mar 2, 2021 23:40

Three Olives: Apr 10, 2005; What if Hitler invented the BMW i3 Subcompact Electric car?

Fartington Butts posted:

I remember DFW looking hella run down and having no good food options. Could be down to a bad experience.

Like... I hate ORD and I've been there a lot, but I expect it and at least they have Frontera.

It was kind of a mess until they put in an automated people mover that served the entire airport, remodeled the original terminals, and built Terminal D, it's good now.

# ? Mar 2, 2021 23:44

Chinatown: Sep 11, 2001; by Fluffdaddy; Fun Shoe

https://i.imgur.com/8iUcSjG.mp4

# ? Mar 2, 2021 23:45

Idle Amalgam: Mar 7, 2008; said I'm never lackin'
always pistol packin'
with them automatics
we gon' send 'em to Heaven

Grondoth posted:

Texas hates its citizens with a passion that can not be understated

# ? Mar 2, 2021 23:46

Seth Pecksniff: May 27, 2004; can't believe shrek is fucking dead. rip to a real one.

Derpies posted:

Maybe Idiocracy won't be a documentary now because all the chuds will die of COVID related secondary illnesses before returning to their spawning pools.

Nah they'll just spawn a hydra den and do a rush that way while they spawn another drone for the transformation into a pool

# ? Mar 2, 2021 23:51

Harold Stassen: Jan 24, 2016

Derpies posted:

Idiocracy

Reported for racism. :o:

Get hosed malthusian!!! :mad:

lmao nothing can stop that movie from becoming reality

# ? Mar 2, 2021 23:53

MrMidnight: Aug 3, 2006

Xenocides posted:

Reposting from another thread.

https://twitter.com/hypeoscar/status/1366847107676721152

lol

# ? Mar 3, 2021 00:00

BAGS FLY AT NOON: Apr 6, 2011; A Soft Nylon Bag

Hey this Abbott guy seems like a real piece of poo poo!!!

# ? Mar 3, 2021 00:12

flubber nuts: Oct 5, 2005

surely this time everyone will be personally responsible. personally responsible for vacuum sucking my nards that is.

# ? Mar 3, 2021 00:16

BAGS FLY AT NOON: Apr 6, 2011; A Soft Nylon Bag

The entire GOP just needs to kicked in the balls in front of the big pit from 300

# ? Mar 3, 2021 00:19

Deep Glove Bruno: Sep 4, 2015; yung swamp thang

license plate idea: TEXAS: THE "GET hosed, NOBODY OWES YOU poo poo, COUGH COUGH GOTTA TAKE A DUMP HUHHH DEAD" STATE

# ? Mar 3, 2021 00:21

Don Gato: Apr 28, 2013; Actually a bipedal cat.; Grimey Drawer

As if I needed another reason to stay away from Texas. I lived 2 years in dallas as a kid and I have nothing but lovely memories of the place.

# ? Mar 3, 2021 00:24

Fluffy Bunnies: Jan 10, 2009

Mississippi just did it, too.

If Georgia does it, I will go poo poo on Kemp's desk. (this isn't a toxx, I have to hold my 13 year old great dane close to my heart)

# ? Mar 3, 2021 00:26

mst4k: Apr 18, 2003; budlitemolaram

I hate everyone between red river and rio grande, open er up

# ? Mar 3, 2021 00:29

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# ? Apr 25, 2024 09:56

Pennywise the Frown: May 10, 2010; Upset Trowel

In boot camp my company was outside of the med bay sitting down for something and one of the corpsman said "Everyone from Texas stand up!" Like, a third of the company stood up. "These guys will gently caress you! They will gently caress you!"

Holy poo poo he was right. Dumbest mother fuckers I've met in my entire life. It's like they were sent there to make me feel pain due to their incompetence.

Sorry Texas, I'm not a fan of you. You need better education programs.

# ? Mar 3, 2021 00:30

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