Texas Gov. Greg Abbott has vowed not to shut down businesses or impose mask mandates to curb COVID-19 surges, insisting “everyone already knows what to do.”
“One thing that we know is that safe practices are important. That said, one thing that we learned along the way is lockdowns are wrong during the course of a pandemic,” Abbott said Wednesday to the Asian American Hotel Owners Association’s National Convention In Dallas, news station DFW-TV reported.
The Republican governor also said that he wouldn’t implement any mask mandates.
“Everyone already knows what to do. Everyone can voluntarily implement the mandates that are safest for them, their families and their businesses,” he said.
But the governor, however, emphasized the importance of getting vaccinated against the virus.
“Going forward we will encourage everyone to implement the safest strategies to make sure that we continue to contain and slow the spread of COVID-19 including the safest thing that could be done is to make sure that everyone who wants one will get a vaccine,” he said.
“The surest way to end the pandemic is for everyone that wants one to make sure they get the vaccine.”
The day before, President Biden criticized Abbott and Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis for their handling of the pandemic.
“Just two states, Florida and Texas, account for one third of all new COVID-19 cases in the entire country. Just two states. Look, we need leadership from everyone. And if some governors aren’t willing to do the right thing to beat this pandemic, then they should allow businesses and universities who want to do the right thing to be able to do it,” he said.
“I say to these governors, ’Please, help.’ But if you aren’t going to help, at least get out of the way of the people who are trying to do the right thing. Use your power to save lives,” Biden said.