FORT WORTH, Texas — Texas’ mask mandate ends Wednesday. The decision of whether to wear one will be up to Texans and businesses across the state.
Joe Monastero, the chief operations officer with the Texas Restaurant Association, says 75% of their members told them they’ll keep having staff wear masks, and more than half will ask guests to do the same.
“If a restaurant is doing something that you don’t agree with and you don’t feel comfortable walking in and sitting down and dining there, but it’s one of your favorite restaurants, then carry out, order delivery,” Monastero said.
He says there was a mix of responses when they polled members on pushing capacity to 100%.
White House officials and CDC Director Dr. Rochelle Walensky said they’re worried about states rolling back prevention measures with the country plateauing at 2,000 deaths per day and 60,000 cases per day.
“Progress demonstrates we can defeat COVID-19, but it does not equal success,” said Andy Slavitt, the White House COVID-19 respond coordinator. “It’s better to spike the football once you’re safely in the end zone, not after you’ve made a couple of completions.”
Texas hospitalizations have dropped 63% in two months, but they’re also 60% higher than the lows in September and more than double the level seen before the Summer peak. The state’s positivity rate has dropped, too, but according to the latest CDC report, it’s still the highest in the nation.
“We have seen this movie before,” Walensky said. “When prevention measures like mask mandates are rolled back, cases go up.”
Most stores and all major grocery chains like H-E-B, Tom Thumb and Kroger will keep requiring masks. Monastero says customers at restaurants should show grace, patience and respect toward whatever a business decides.
“Don’t pick a fight with somebody at the front door,” Monastero said. “Most often it’s somebody’s teenage son or daughter that’s just there for the summer or the fall making some extra bucks, so you’re putting them in a very awkward position.”
Vaccinations are increasing across the country, including in Texas. The country is averaging 2 million vaccinations per day and Texas is averaging roughly 189,000 vaccinations per day.
Everyone wants life back to normal, but there are clear disagreements about what it will take to get there.
“Wear a mask now so we can get to a place where you don’t have to,” Slavitt said.