Energizing Republican voters in the county is important for the party, and staying in touch with his base is important for Mr. Abbott, who is facing challenges in the Republican primary next year from several candidates who see him as vulnerable on the right.
Understand the State of Vaccine and Mask Mandates in the U.S.
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- Mask rules. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in July recommended that all Americans, regardless of vaccination status, wear masks in indoor public places within areas experiencing outbreaks, a reversal of the guidance it offered in May. See where the C.D.C. guidance would apply, and where states have instituted their own mask policies. The battle over masks has become contentious in some states, with some local leaders defying state bans.
- Vaccine rules . . . and businesses. Private companies are increasingly mandating coronavirus vaccines for employees, with varying approaches. Such mandates are legally allowed and have been upheld in court challenges.
- College and universities. More than 400 colleges and universities are requiring students to be vaccinated against Covid-19. Almost all are in states that voted for President Biden.
- Schools. On Aug. 11, California announced that it would require teachers and staff of both public and private schools to be vaccinated or face regular testing, the first state in the nation to do so. A survey released in August found that many American parents of school-age children are opposed to mandated vaccines for students, but were more supportive of mask mandates for students, teachers and staff members who do not have their shots.
- Hospitals and medical centers. Many hospitals and major health systems are requiring employees to get a Covid-19 vaccine, citing rising caseloads fueled by the Delta variant and stubbornly low vaccination rates in their communities, even within their work force.
- New York. On Aug. 3, Mayor Bill de Blasio of New York announced that proof of vaccination would be required of workers and customers for indoor dining, gyms, performances and other indoor situations, becoming the first U.S. city to require vaccines for a broad range of activities. City hospital workers must also get a vaccine or be subjected to weekly testing. Similar rules are in place for New York State employees.
- At the federal level. The Pentagon announced that it would seek to make coronavirus vaccinations mandatory for the countrys 1.3 million active-duty troops no later than the middle of September. President Biden announced that all civilian federal employees would have to be vaccinated against the coronavirus or submit to regular testing, social distancing, mask requirements and restrictions on most travel.
Mr. Abbotts response last year to the coronavirus, measures that included business restrictions and a mask mandate, angered some Republicans and helped spark a revolt within the state party. Allen West, the former Florida congressman, was elevated to the partys top post last summer and has since quit the position to challenge Mr. Abbott.
But as coronavirus hospitalizations have again surged in the state, nearing last years peaks, Mr. Abbott has resisted calls for new mandates. He also has banned local elected officials from imposing mask or vaccine requirements. After leaders in several large cities, including Dallas, San Antonio and Houston, bucked the order and went ahead with mask mandates, the governor took them to court. The Texas Supreme Court is currently weighing the issue.
In place of mandates, the governor has instead urged Texans whose rate of vaccination lags the national average to get vaccinated voluntarily. As intensive care units become increasingly filled, he has asked hospitals to voluntarily postpone elective procedures and has expanded the use of the monoclonal antibody treatment he is now receiving. The state health department also has requested five mortuary trailers from the federal government to be deployed as needed, though none had been requested by cities or counties as of Tuesday.read more
