Texas to open up 100% come Wednesday

[Canoez]

Dunning-Kruger does live... DSE, indeed.

[peb]

Texit.

That is funny. But we should note, there is just not much evidence for the extent of shut-downs relative to containing the outbreak in the US. If we consider this winter surge and look at cases and deaths since November 1st (an arbitrary data I selected) and compare your state to mine. Per 1M people: California, since Nov 1st has had 66,000 cases and 887 deaths. Texas has had 58K cases and 900 deaths. The numbers are close enough that we can draw no conclusion as to who is doing better or worse. But we know one thing. Throughout this winter, California has had much more stringent restrictions than Texas.

So my only point is, lets not assume that we will face gloom and doom in the near future. We don't know much about this virus. Indeed, we do not know the cause of the downturn since the second week of January almost everywhere in the US. I have heard multiple experts claim it was because we were suddenly wearing masks. Thats a joke, people's behavior did not get better since oct or november. If it did? why. We know that our measures have really kept flus and colds at bay, but yet there ahs been a huge covid spike over the early winter. Why? Ok, its more contagious, thats all we can say for sure.

[birlinn]

2019 Cal population: 39,512,223
2019 Texas population: 28,995,881.
With a more widely dispersed population, you are not doing so well, peb

[P.I. Stazzer-Newt]

[birlinn]

That guy nearly always makes sense.

[peb]

2019 Cal population: 39,512,223
2019 Texas population: 28,995,881.
With a more widely dispersed population, you are not doing so well, peb

I did that on a per million basis (thats why I put in the phrase "Per 1M people" for the hard of reading). I made that fairly specific. And yes Texas's population is more disperse, so perhaps we have done as well as California, despite being more open is because of less density. I am rather skeptical, as our urban centers are pretty much comparably dense and that is were most of our cases have come from. But I certainly grant that is a possibility. We just don't know for sure. Which is my point.

[Paul Pless]

rochelle walensky calls the texas governor's decision 'disturbing'

[peb]

rochelle walensky calls the texas governor's decision 'disturbing'

That is fair comment. I agree with that. But it does get confusing. Two weeks ago, every doctor I saw on the Sunday mornings news shows attributed the lastest decline beacuse Americans were finally doing what we should be doing. Now according to the CDC director, we are not doing so because of fatigue. I think the CDC director is correct, not the experts on the Sunday shows, but it begs the question: why the decline?

[Kevin T]

Texit.

From an arrangement of letters point of view, that's just about perfect. Way better than Brexit, and infinitely more succinct. It even sounds a little like the word "texas" as a stand-alone.

[john welsford]

We have a city of 1.5 million on level three lockdown, almost all retail outlets closed, stay at home orders for most people, masks on public transport and a heap of other restrictions including rigorous border controls on that city, the rest of the country at level two. Why? Because we had FOUR community cases, none fatal, but infectious.
But then, thats why NZ on a per capita basis is still at 5 deaths per million, and the USA is as of this morning at 1594 per million. I cant imagine how traumatic that is to those who've lost family, friends, workmates.

https://www.worldometers.info/corona...n=homeAdUOA?Si

John Welsford.

[Keith Wilson]

You can make a case for reopening businesses - not a very good one, IMHO, but at least halfway plausible; there is at least a cost-benefit tradeoff. For no longer requiring masks, there's no defense at all. The benefit is real, the cost is minor inconvenience. Mr Abbot is going to have a lot of deaths on his head. Makes me wish I believed in hell.

[George Jung]

I caught a 'news alert' on my phone a bit ago - and of course, now can't find a source. Dr. Fauci re: texas/abbott pulling the mass mandate - 'Neanderthal decision making', or something to that effect.

Argue all ya want, play with your statistics - I do believe I'll follow his guidance. And he's predicting another 'wave' based solely on *some states* breaking from guidelines.

[Paul Pless]

"The last thing we need is the Neanderthal thinking that in the meantime everything is fine, take off your mask,” Biden said.

...

[Paul Pless]

comment from russian on social media

Abbott is like teenager whose skateboard stunt end in faceplant. To make everyone stop pointing and laughing, he grab hammer and hit himself in nuts.

[Keith Wilson]

That's a totally unjustified insult to good honest Neanderthals.

[John Smith]

I think Texas and other places are currently experiencing doom and gloom. Many people are still becoming infected, and dying.

Removing masks will not make things better. Will you have another spike? Probably. How high will it go? Probably less than Christmas since people are outdoors and some are vaccinated.

But remember that 5-6,000 Texans died in the spring surge, when you were all mostly maskless. That sounds doomy and gloomy enough for me.

Finally, who are all these pussies who can’t handle wearing a mask? Are Texans really that fragile?

I finally figured this out. Democrats are more prone to wear masks, stay separated, etc., so they are LESS likely to catch the virus. This means more Republican voters are apt to die from Covid than democratic voters.

He simply wants to even out the deaths.

It's all about his election.

[John Smith]

I don't think it has anything to do with being fragile, I think it is more a case of "the gubamint ain't going to tell me what to do." "I'm a texan dagnabit and we're bigger and better than all of you and you can't make us."

Remember, this is a state that on numerous occasions has floated the idea of seceding from the union, set up a separate power grid so they wouldn't be required to adhere to Federal guidelines regarding power generation and safety and capacity requirements.

I say they want to leave and set-up their own country go right ahead, we can immediately impose strict border controls where Texas connects with the surrounding states of the now lower 47 and we can make travel from Texas to anywhere in the US exceedingly difficult. Visas, proof of vaccination, posting of a travel bond, etc. And regarding what would become the lower 47, it would be a perfect opportunity to grant statehood to DC, we wouldn't even have to replace the flag, DC would simply take over the Texas star position on the stars and stripes. A plan like that phased in over 2 or 3 years would give all the sane residents of Texas time to relocate to other parts of the US.

Works for me.

[John Smith]

That is funny. But we should note, there is just not much evidence for the extent of shut-downs relative to containing the outbreak in the US. If we consider this winter surge and look at cases and deaths since November 1st (an arbitrary data I selected) and compare your state to mine. Per 1M people: California, since Nov 1st has had 66,000 cases and 887 deaths. Texas has had 58K cases and 900 deaths. The numbers are close enough that we can draw no conclusion as to who is doing better or worse. But we know one thing. Throughout this winter, California has had much more stringent restrictions than Texas.

So my only point is, lets not assume that we will face gloom and doom in the near future. We don't know much about this virus. Indeed, we do not know the cause of the downturn since the second week of January almost everywhere in the US. I have heard multiple experts claim it was because we were suddenly wearing masks. Thats a joke, people's behavior did not get better since oct or november. If it did? why. We know that our measures have really kept flus and colds at bay, but yet there ahs been a huge covid spike over the early winter. Why? Ok, its more contagious, thats all we can say for sure.

We do KNOW it did not go from 15 down to zero cases. We do know ingesting bleach doesn't help. Now we know Trump did get the vaccine.

People's behavior, in many respects HAS changed. You can't congregate in a bar if the bar is closed. Restaurants cannot function 100%

My friends and I are quite the hermits.

All the 'super spreader' events turned out to be super spreaders.

[John Smith]

That is fair comment. I agree with that. But it does get confusing. Two weeks ago, every doctor I saw on the Sunday mornings news shows attributed the lastest decline beacuse Americans were finally doing what we should be doing. Now according to the CDC director, we are not doing so because of fatigue. I think the CDC director is correct, not the experts on the Sunday shows, but it begs the question: why the decline?

Numbers will go up soon. Watch this space.

[peb]

We do KNOW it did not go from 15 down to zero cases. We do know ingesting bleach doesn't help. Now we know Trump did get the vaccine.

People's behavior, in many respects HAS changed. You can't congregate in a bar if the bar is closed. Restaurants cannot function 100%

My friends and I are quite the hermits.

All the 'super spreader' events turned out to be super spreaders.

Perhaps in December and early January peoples'behavior changed, but it was by no means noticable around here. Yet cases started dropping the 2nd week of January and kept falling until now. It looks like the decline has slowed. It's really hard to explain why the surge peaked and then fell.

[Rigadog]

For some reason I see Slim Pickens astride a nuclear bomb, dropping through the bomb doors waving his hat and telling "Yeee-Ha!!!"

[LeeG]

so when do we hit 600,000?

[C. Ross]

Despite all the explanations, I still find it baffling that the demographic which espouses patriotism and sacrifice and community turns into whiny toddlers when they’re told to wear a mask.

I guess I’ll just have to ignore the tough guy bumper stickers on your pick-em-up, snowflake.

Sheesh people.

[John Smith]

Perhaps in December and early January peoples'behavior changed, but it was by no means noticable around here. Yet cases started dropping the 2nd week of January and kept falling until now. It looks like the decline has slowed. It's really hard to explain why the surge peaked and then fell.

Wouldn't have anything to do with SOME following science?

[Too Little Time]

What can possibly go wrong?

Your headline is simply wrong.

The federal government rules are still in force. Many cities have rules - including mask requirements, that are still in force. individuals have the opportunity to continue to wear masks and social distance if they wish. Businesses have the right to set their own rules. Many businesses will still require masks.

[John Smith]

Your headline is simply wrong.

The federal government rules are still in force. Many cities have rules - including mask requirements, that are still in force. individuals have the opportunity to continue to wear masks and social distance if they wish. Businesses have the right to set their own rules. Many businesses will still require masks.

But the governor just told everyone in his state they can ignore local speed limits. Same thing, no?

[George Jung]

A bit difficult, attempting extrapolation from your 'personal observations', to pandemic trends. It's clear-cut, obvious. Numbnutz folk like those in Michigan and Texas, working desperately to be the monkey in the wrench. And *some* call that leadership.

'With wisdom, comes age - although all too often, age comes all by its lonesome'.

[Too Little Time]

But the governor just told everyone in his state they can ignore local speed limits. Same thing, no?

No.

[peb]

Wouldn't have anything to do with SOME following science?

Then why the surge in the first place. To explain the significant drop in cases that started the started the second week of January, that means that "some" people had to start following the rules around 3 weeks earlier. That would be right before Christmas. It seems that narrative would not match at all what we were told during the holiday season. We simply do not know exactly why the surge peaked. We can speculate. But no matter what explanation we come up with, there are good counter-arguments. There was honest reporting about this a couple of weeks ago:

https://slate.com/technology/2021/02...s-falling.html

[P.I. Stazzer-Newt]

Best one liner, from Beau of the fifth..

It's not illegal to lick the restroom floor.

[Canoez]

Gee, some restrictions and mask mandates started in Texas in October might have been a good idea that helped to turn the tide of infections and deaths...

[peb]

Gee, some restrictions and mask mandates started in Texas in October might have been a good idea that helped to turn the tide of infections and deaths...

I don't recall that. Texas's state wide mask mandate took effect on July 2nd, way too late, but not in October. Of course, the larger cities and counties had mask mandates prior to that.

[Canoez]

I don't recall that. Texas's state wide mask mandate took effect on July 2nd, way too late, but not in October. Of course, the larger cities and counties had mask mandates prior to that.

There may have been earlier actions, but this is the one that was "lifted".

https://gov.texas.gov/uploads/files/...10-07-2020.pdf

[John A. Campbell]

Stupid Abbott and all the other political snakes in Austin (Paxton and several others)(and don't forget that a##hole Louie Gohmert from Tyler)........more and more I see it as an embarrassment to claim Texas as my home state.

[Keith Wilson]