Texas '100 percent open' this week

A day after Gov. Greg Abbott announced an end to all pandemic-related precautions in Texas, President Joe Biden slammed him for putting lives at risk by clinging to "Neanderthal thinking" rather than heeding advice from the nation's top scientists.

"I think it's a big mistake," Biden told reporters during an Oval Office meeting with lawmakers. "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. ... The last thing we need is Neanderthal thinking that in the meantime, everything's fine, take off your mask. Forget it. It still matters."

He noted the death toll, 511,874 Americans at last count.

"We're going to lose thousands more. ... We'll not have everybody vaccinated until sometime in the summer," Biden said. "It's critical, critical, critical, critical that they follow the science. Wash your hands, hot water. Do it frequently, wear a mask and stay socially distanced. And I know you all know that I wish the heck some of our elected officials knew it."

But Abbott said Texans now better understand how to control the spread and no longer need government mandates.

He said business operators can still limit capacity, require masks or implement other safety measures if they choose to do so. "It is their business, and they get to choose to operate their business the way they want to. At this time, however, people and businesses don't need the state telling them how to operate," Abbott said.

Dave Marcinkowski, chairman of the Lubbock Chamber of Commerce, told the Lubbock Avalanche Journal it's critical to open the economy to its fullest.

"This gives the responsibility back to the business owner, where it should be," Marcinkowski said. "Then me as a customer, I get to make the choice. If it's something important to me, and there's no masks, I may choose not to go in there. Or I may choose to go in there."

The nation's top infectious disease experts have expressed disappointment at Abbott's decision to end all restrictions starting Wednesday, calling the move premature and warning it could lead to a resurgence of the outbreak that has cost more than 43,000 lives in Texas.

"We at the CDC have been very clear that now is not the time to release all restrictions," said Dr. Rochelle Walensky, director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, asked about Texas' change of policy during a White House briefing.

Abbott announced the move on Tuesday, boasting that Texas would be "100% open" as of March 10. Under his order, Texans will no longer be required to wear face masks, and all businesses will be allowed to operate at full capacity.

Mississippi made a similar announcement.

Abbott joined Biden recently in Houston, where the president visited a vaccination "super site" at NRG Park at which military personnel are administering up to 6,000 shots per day. They also visited the Harris County Emergency Operations Center.

At no point did Abbott indicate that he would soon abandon the public health measures advocated by the federal government to control the outbreak.

At the U.S. Capitol, Sen. John Cornyn, who also joined Biden in Houston, defended Abbott against the criticism.

"President Biden has a lot of problems to take care of. ... And so I don't think he's got a lot to say about preaching to my state about how to handle this COVID-19 virus," he said, adding that "the fact of the matter is, if you want to wear a mask you can still wear a mask."

Evidence from fossils and DNA indicates that Neanderthals and homo sapiens had a common ancestor about 600,000 years ago. Modern humans arrived in Europe from Africa about 45,000 years ago and about 5,000 later, their thick-browed cousins abruptly disappeared. Calling someone a Neanderthal has long been an insult connoting low intelligence.

Medical experts and the administration's lead official on the crisis called moves risky, cautioning patience as mass vaccinations ramp up.

Andy Slavitt, White House senior adviser for COVID-19 Response, called masks "critically important," noting the emphasis Biden has put on mask-wearing.

"I don't think he could be possibly any clearer about the need for masks," Slavitt said. "We know that it can save tens of thousands of lives if people do this, and we strongly encourage people to continue to wear masks. And mayors, governors, and others -- recognizing that they have difficult decisions to make to keep the course."

Walensky urged Texans to voluntarily take the precautions the state will no longer require.

"The next month or two is really pivotal in terms of how this pandemic goes. As we scale up vaccination we really do need to decrease the amount of virus that is circulating," she said. "Every individual is empowered to do the right thing here, regardless of what the states decide - for personal health, for public health, for their health of their loved ones and communities. I would still encourage individuals to wear masks, to socially distance, and to do the right thing to protect their own house."

What to expect going forward

Texas this week will end statewide COVID restrictions, but that doesn’t mean the pandemic is over. Here are some answers to commonly asked questions about what to expect in public places going forward:

What can I expect if I go shopping?

Texas residents are likely to encounter a mix of mask requirements.

Hospitals and other medical facilities will still require visitors and employees to wear masks. Also, businesses including major retailers such as Walgreens, Target, Kroger and many others can still require customers to wear masks before entering their premises.

Many of those companies with locations across the nation are likely to continue to have a consistent policy requiring all employees and customers to wear masks and maintain social distancing.

That said, many other local businesses likely won’t wait until Gov. Greg Abbott’s decision to lift COVID restrictions effective Wednesday. Last week, fewer than 24 hours after Abbott’s announcement, a fitness gym in Northeast Tarrant County had already removed signs notifying guests to wear face masks, as well as the Plexiglass barriers that used to separate exercise machines.

Is it safe to gather in crowds?

Health experts say it’s not safe.

After Abbott’s announcement, the Texas Hospital Association implored residents to wear masks.

“We know that it works. It protects health care workers and the people around you,” the association said in a statement.

“More infectious variants are circulating in Texas, and millions more people need to be vaccinated. We should still be doing everything we can to protect each other.”

How big will crowds be at Texas Rangers baseball games?

The club’s leadership is still trying to figure out how Abbott’s decision affects capacity at the new Globe Life Field in Arlington, which can hold 43,000 fans. But it appears that the door has been opened to sell most or all seats.

However, club officials say they’re still discussing how the order might affect ticket sales, and they want to make sure they can follow health and safety protocols no matter how many seats are sold.

During the fall, Globe Life Field hosted the World Series, and allowed about 11,000 fans per game.

Will public schools eliminate mask requirements and remote learning?

The Texas Education Agency said masks are required for students, teachers and staff, with some exceptions, but a school board may change or eliminate the mask requirement.

“Local school boards have full authority to determine their local mask policy,” the agency said in a news release.