More than two weeks after Texas eased Covid-19 restrictions, the state has so far not witnessed a sudden increase in new cases: reported infections continue to decline across the state, but have recently shown signs of leveling off.
Governor Greg Abbott suspended a masked mandate across the state and allowed companies to operate at full capacity, without limits, as of March 10. “Now is the time to open Texas 100%,” said the Republican on March 2 when announcing the changes. “State mandates are no longer needed”.
On the day the restrictions were lifted, the state average of confirmed cases for Covid-19 in seven days was about 4,900, according to an analysis by the Wall Street Journal of data compiled by Johns Hopkins University. The most recent data show a seven-day average of about 3,400 cases.
Last year, after a month-long shutdown at the start of the pandemic, Texas companies were allowed to reopen to varying degrees in May. At the end of June, cases confirmed daily in the state increased six-fold from the figures recorded in early May. In July, Mr. Abbott instituted a mask mandate as rates of infection and hospitalizations continued to rise and the state became a focal point of the summer surge.
So far, the same increase in cases has not been reported.