Travis County, one of Texas’ most liberal regions, is phasing down its pandemic regulations and orders as cities around the country rescind their stringent COVID-19 laws.
All COVID-19 emergency restrictions and orders have been lifted by the City of Austin and Travis County with immediate effect. Infection and hospitalization rates are among the lowest reported in the area since the outbreak began.
“We have not eliminated the virus but adapted to it. We now have knowledge and tools to fight COVID-19 when we are called to do so,” said Austin-Travis County health authority Dr. Desmar Walkes on March 23 in a press release. “I am confident that the community will come together if the need arises again, as they have for the past two years of this pandemic.”
“Effective immediately, masking indoors, including inside city buildings, is no longer required (with only limited exceptions). Congratulations — it’s about time!” said Austin Mayor Steve Adler. “Thank you to everyone vaccinated and boosted for helping to get us here.”
Citizens are now given the option of whether or not to wear a mask in most settings. Orders mandating masks on public school campuses and requiring businesses to display signage are no longer in place.
However, facial coverings will still be required in jails, clinical settings, airports, and other forms of public transportation.
Additionally, masks are still recommended for some individuals.
The press release stated: “The decision to continue wearing a mask should be respected as public health officials still encourage wearing masks indoors for individuals who are high risk or provide care for someone who is high risk.”
“I want to thank our public health leaders and staff, our vaccine and testing clinics, and our community for getting us to this point,” said Travis County Judge Andy Brown. “This is a testament of how adaptable we have been and can be in the future.”
Even as the pandemic appeared to be receding in early 2022, Austin Mayor Steve Adler was still a supporter of mask regulations. He ordered businesses throughout the city to display two new signs in January, reminding customers of numerous COVID mandates and urging them to wear masks and receive the COVID vaccine.
For now, the State of Texas remains under a declared state of disaster due to the COVID epidemic, which was most recently renewed on March 23.
Some state legislators are calling on Abbott to revoke his emergency declaration as towns and counties around the state begin to lift their COVID restrictions.
As reported by Texas Scorecard, State Representative Bryan Slaton (R-Royse City) penned a letter to the governor requesting that he “immediately rescind all COVID-related emergency declarations, orders, and measures.”
Governor Greg Abbott initially made the emergency declaration on March 13, 2020. Abbott then utilized the order as the foundation for his pandemic-related executive orders. Though the emergency declaration expired every 30 days, Abbott has continued to renew it every month for the past two years.