Eagle Pass and Maverick County Officials Surprised by Gov. Abbott’s Lifting of COVID-19 Restrictions
By: Ricardo E. Calderon, Eagle Pass Business Journal, Inc., Copyright 2021
Texas Governor Greg Abbott surprised many Texans on Tuesday, March 2, 2021 when he announced at a Mexican restaurant in Lubbock, Texas that he was lifting all of Texas’ COVID-19 restrictions, including wearing face masks in public and occupancy requirements in businesses, effective Wednesday, March 10, 2021.
Abbott stated that “It is now time to open Texas 100 percent,” contending that state government does not need to be telling people any longer how to operate their lives and businesses. Abbott added that all businesses of any type are allowed to open 100% and face masks will no longer be required in public.
Eagle Pass Mayor Luis E. Sifuentes stated on Tuesday, March 2, that he was “surprised” by Governor Abbott’s lifting restrictions statewide. Mayor Sifuentes added that he would recommend Governor Abbott wait another month before lifting the COVID-19 restrictions to see what the state health statistics showed how the state was doing in its fight against the coronavirus. Sifuentes noted that “we are still going to recommend that people keep wearing their face masks.” “We are not out of the coronavirus pandemic yet,” added Sifuentes.
Maverick County Emergency Operations Center Co-Director Leopoldo “Polo” Vielma stated he was “surprised” by Governor Abbott’s decision to lift all state COVID-19 restrictions. “We are recommending that after March 10 all Maverick County residents continue wearing their face masks,” said Vielma. “We are currently in a mass COVID-19 vaccination program to protect our citizens against the coronavirus,” added Vielma.
Maverick County Judge David R. Saucedo stated that he was not going to comment on Governor Abbott’s lifting of COVID-19 restrictions.
As of press time, the Maverick County Hospital District, United Medical Centers, Fort Duncan Regional Medical Center, the City of Eagle Pass, and Maverick County have stated that they are still going to require people, staff, and patients to wear face masks when inside their facilities or buildings.
Statewide leaders expressed concerns and criticism of Governor Abbott’s decision. Fort Worth Mayor Betsy Price, a Republican, stated Abbott’s order was “premature” and recommended he allow more people to become eligible to be vaccinated. El Paso County Judge Ricardo Samaniego tweeted that Abbott’s order “to no longer make masks mandatory would be equivalent to him stating that we don’t have to wear our seatbelts…but it would be a good idea if we did.” Samaniego noted that El Paso County “has over 280 bodies in our Holding Facility and 2,088 total deaths have been reported” due to COVID-19.
Houston Mayor Sylvester Turner and Harris County Judge Lina Hidalgo forwarded a letter to Governor Abbott before his March 2 press conference requesting him to keep the face masks restriction. “We believe it would be premature and harmful to do anything to lose the widespread adoption of this preventive measure. Scientific studies have shown repeatedly that the widespread wearing of face masks slows down the virus….Especially with the arrival of new variants of the virus to Texas and our cities, with the associated spike in cases, preserving the most effective of our existing safety measures is even more important,” said Turner and Hidalgo’s joint letter to Abbott.
Bexar County Judge Nelson Wolff stated that he was very disappointed by Governor Abbott’s order lifting the COVID-19 restrictions and called it “an irresponsible action.” Wolff cited that Bexar County still had 464 people in hospitals with COVID-19 and 199 of them in Intensive Care Unit. County Judge Wolff stated “We’re still not out of the woods. And I think it’s very premature to do this.”
San Antonio Mayor Ron Nirenberg called Abbott’s decision to lift the COVID-19 restrictions “a huge mistake.” Nirenberg added that COVID-19 is still widespread in our community and infecting too many of our vulnerable residents.”
President Joe Biden, who personally visited Texas after the catastrophic Winter Storm, stated Texas’ decision to lift its COVID-19 restrictions was “a big mistake.” “Texas, I think it’s a big mistake. We are on the cusp of being able to fundamentally change the nature of this disease because the way in which we are able to get vaccines in people’s arms. The last thing—the last thing—we need is Neanderthal thinking in the meantime.”
