Texas Uncovered

Well, I guess Texas really wants a fourth surge.  Citizens of Texas should start preparing now.

Yesterday, Govern Abbott issued an executive order lifting the state's mask mandate and occupancy restrictions.  "We must now do more to restore livelihoods and normalcy for Texans by opening Texas 100 percent."  Businesses are left to their own discretion regarding individual mask or social distancing requirements within their doors, but starting next Wednesday, March 10, 2021, any business in the state of Texas will be able to have 100% capacity with no mask requirement if they so choose.  It also removes any kind of enforcement capabilities local governments could have to enforce their own mask and social distancing requirements.

Meaning - Texas is taking off the mask come hell or high water.  And damn the consequences.

It's hard to write about this without being punchy, because it's so short sighted.  Yesterday, when Abbott made this announcement, Texas had 7,747 new cases.  271 new deaths from Covid-19.  Only around 7.5% of the population has been fully vaccinated.  Texas is no where near where it would need to be regarding potential herd immunity either from the virus or the vaccine to where it could start easing restrictions designed to stop this virus from running rampant.

The sad thing is, by easing restrictions in the name of "freedom," Texas is only making things more difficult for small business owners who want to continue to protect their employees and families by continuing a mask or social distancing requirement for their business.  Make no mistake, masks are still going to be required at your big national chains.  You will still have to wear a mask at Wal-mart.  You will still be asked to wear a mask at HEB.  And there will be small businesses who wish to continue to require it there as well.  What Abbott has done has encouraged entitled egotists to flaunt the requirements and provoke altercations with front line employees at those businesses.  

It's been sickening to scroll through Facebook and see the number of people praising this decision as if it were on the level of Texas Independence.  Or as if it "restored a fundamental freedom" on the level of the Civil Rights Act.  In reality, it revealed that we do not have it within us anymore to sacrifice for the greater good.  We do not have it in us anymore to care more for the people around us and make small concessions for their well-being.  It revealed that we don't have what it takes to endure a minor setback in the grand scheme of life.

That's the most frustrating aspect of the whole ordeal - we only had another few months to go through to where easing restrictions could start to make sense.  The announcement today indicated that vaccine production should be ramped up enough to where all American adults could get vaccinated by the end of May.  Two more months, and we could really start pulling things back and restoring normalcy, whatever that was.

But we can't wait.

Make no mistake, this was political theater.  It was designed to distract Texas from the utter failure that the Texas government displayed through their lack of preparation for a winter storm, not learning the lessons from 2011, and their total mishandling of the whole affair during the storm.

We're at that moment in Jaws where the citizens have caught a tiger shark and the mayor goes out and proclaims that everything is safe.  Everyone should go back out, everyone should go to the beach and visit Amity Island.  We need those tourist dollars.  Think of the Fourth of July.

That decision didn't work out well for the citizens of Amity and I fear this decision will not bode well for the citizens of Texas.

Stay safe.

Wear your mask, no matter what the governor may say.

Keep your distance.

There is light at the end of the tunnel; we just have to persevere.

A Question About Masks

I have a question about face masks, face coverings that I am generally curious about, especially given some of the response to them that I have seen online.

If we could open up everything tomorrow, almost completely like normal, but the requirement was that it would be required to wear a face mask for the next 30 days, to the point of it being a fineable offense, would you wear it?  Or would you protest such a law?

Does it matter if it is a state or a federal law?

I'm really curious as to where the fight against this is coming from.  Yesterday I saw a summarization on social media that I felt too close to home.  It posited that we as Americans have moved beyond an understanding of freedom as an underpinning of society required to make government work, to essentially viewing it as "you can't tell me what to do."

And from some of the other discussion that I am seeing, that seems eerily accurate.  Even when we act against our own best interest.

I understand concerns over government overreach, but I fail to see how requiring the wearing of a face cover for a limited time during a pandemic fits that description.  It would seem to be the definition of good governance.  Like requiring seatbelts while driving.

Likewise, I've read a lot of constitutional arguments online, and it is genuinely surprising to see how many Constitutional scholars that we have.  I've yet to see one that actually discusses Constitutional law as it really exists.  And I've yet to see what right the requirement to wear a mask would impinge.

I know that we fumbled the execution on this terribly.  We started far too late, we have communicated mixed messages on the subject, we have done a horrible job at stamping out false narratives like Covid being lab created.  And there has been mixed messaging on the mask issue.  Done with good reason, to prevent the hoarding of N95 masks when the general public does not need them, when a cloth face covering will suffice for most purposes, but confusing nonetheless.

The amount of people that bristle at this just surprise me.  Just as the number of people who are convinced a future vaccine is some sort of conspiracy surprise me.

These same people would not hesitate to put on protective gear, like gloves and a mask, if they entered an ICU room to visit a loved one who was immunocompromised.

And yet, when the world is essentially immunocompromised, such precaution is seen as overreach, overreacting, and being fearful.

I'm reposting an image so that it is taken in the spirit in which it was originally offered.  And to serve as a reminder - WEARING A MASK IS NOT ABOUT YOU.   It is about showing care and concern for the world around you.  It is about making sure that we reduce transmission levels to as small a percentage as possible to move past this virus.  It's not forever, it's temporary, even though it may go on longer than you like.

This is especially important for the Church.  It is especially important for us to show our care, our love for the world around us.  During this difficult time, we should be doing all we can to make sure the church is not a source of continuing the spread of this virus.  Wearing a mask is a big part of that. 

It is quite literally the least we can do.

So, I ask again, will you wear one?

I'm of the belief it should be required for the next interim period, but I know it won't be at the necessary scale.  So, without it being required, without it being forced, will you wear one to show the rest of the world how much you care about them?  Not about how you look, not about your preferences, not about the comfort of the mask, but because you care about those around you.

Just Wear The Mask

Wednesday, April 22, 2020, Judge Lina Higdalgo ordered residents of Harris County above the age of 10 years old to wear a mask or mouth and nose covering when going outside the home.  The order will begin Monday, April 27, 2020 and lasts for 30 days. Non-compliance can carry a fine.

This makes Harris County the latest Texas county to impose a mask wearing requirement.  It is a measure designed to help ease the transition back into opening things back up, while also protecting us from further spread of the virus.

Put simply, it is the absolute least we can do to prevent the continued spread of Covid-19.

And people of course are already losing their minds about it.

It's being compared to Sharia law.  Lawsuits are being filed.

The Houston Police Officer's Union is seeking an opinion on the legality of the order and likely will not enforce it.

HPOU's response to Judge Hidalgo's draconian mask order: "Now we want to be very clear, the Houston Police Officers’...
Posted by Houston Police Officers' Union on Wednesday, April 22, 2020

Texas Representative Briscoe Cain has written a letter urging that the stay at home order be lifted and that the "ridiculous order" for masks be lifted.

Today, I sent the following letter to Harris County Judge Lina Hidalgo. It’s time we stop with any power grabs and open Texas up for business.
Posted by Briscoe Cain on Wednesday, April 22, 2020

All because of a requirement to wear face protection.

Here's what we know - wearing a face and nose covering is the easiest way to help prevent transmission of Covid-19.  Just by covering your face and nose with a cloth, whether that be a cloth mask, a scarf, or a bandana, you can help significantly reduce the likelihood of transmission to next to nothing.

Covid-19 is thought to spread mainly through close contact from person-to-person in respiratory droplets from someone who is infected. This means droplets from coughs, from sneezes, from talking in a close proximity (i.e. within 6 feet). It can be spread by people not showing symptoms at the time.

By covering your mouth and nose with a cloth cover, you are lessening the likelihood of droplet transmission.

That’s it. The mask isn’t designed to prevent you from catching it. It's not some super protection for you.

It’s designed to prevent you from spreading it. And if everyone is wearing a mask, the likelihood of transmission plummets. Between two people wearing masks it can fall to 1.5%.

As we start opening the country back up, masks are going to be a new reality for a while. If you want to get out to non-essential businesses, and to be able to open things back up safely, masks, social distancing (6 foot gaps), and enhanced cleaning will be the way we do that.

It really is the easiest thing you can do to help protect the people around you.

And if you can’t even do that, or worse, if you refuse to do that, what does it say about you?