Abbott to End Mask Mandates, Business Restrictions

Governor Greg Abbott announced on Tuesday that he is lifting the mask mandate in Texas and increasing capacity of all businesses and facilities in the state to 100 percent effective next Wednesday, March 10. According to the order, if COVID-19 hospitalizations in any of the 22 hospital regions in Texas get above 15% of the hospital bed capacity in that region for seven straight days, a County Judge in that region may use COVID-19 mitigation strategies. Abbott added that the removal of the mask mandate does not remove individual responsibility to prevent the spread of COVID-19.