(Newswire.net — March 24, 2021) — The Office of the Governor of Texas notes that they are ultimately doing away with restrictions and opening for business completely. Many business owners in the state applaud the decision, but there are still many people concerned about the reopening of the state amidst the current pandemic. Several individuals are still worried about the spread of the virus. Luckily, there is a push by the federal government to ensure vaccination so that states can reopen fully without fear. Whether the vaccines will make a significant impact prior to the rise of infection numbers concerns most citizens of the state.
A Notable Drop in Cases
Both California and Texas showed a notable drop in cases during February of 2021, according to the Center for Infectious Disease Research and Policy (CIDRAP). Most residents of the state are enjoying their newly rediscovered freedom, attending parties and heading out to the bars. However, even though there is no legal need for restrictions, businesses can take the initiative and ensure their patrons respect social distancing laws. Unfortunately, by doing so, these businesses may put themselves in a state where their patrons prefer not to visit because of their individually-enforced restrictions on clients. It’s a double-edged sword for business owners, yet many of them are ecstatic at being able to open doors again to regular visitors. Most businesses suffered immensely from being forced to close, especially since it meant no income while maintenance and rental fees continued to mount.
Is It Too Soon?
The decline in Texas cases may have been due to the state’s enforcement of the mask mandate and social distancing rules early on. However, if the state rolls back these measures too soon, they may find themselves facing an influx of new infections. The infectivity rate of the COVID-19 virus, combined with its ability to stay on some surfaces for up to five days, makes it imperative that the state not reverse its rules too soon. Unfortunately, the longer the rules and restrictions stay in place, the more businesses in the region suffer. The legislature has an unpopular decision to make. At least one sector of society will not agree with what the final decision is, regardless of what that decision ends up being.
A Return To The Wild West?
With no state-legislated mask mandates or social distancing, the local authorities leave it up to businesses and patrons to understand and obey the rules. For some Texans, this is like a return to the wild west. With other laws such as new series legislation taking up the government’s time, they don’t have the workforce nor resources to dedicate to enforcing COVID-19 restrictions. As a result, the individuals will be responsible for ensuring the safety of their neighbors. Whether this will work remains to be seen. However, given the condition of the US before mandatory mask laws and social distancing, there’s not a lot of confidence that this measure will succeed in keeping the virus numbers down. The state can only hope that vaccines that they can take advantage of start making their way to Texas soon.