Texas COVID-Positivity-Rate Plunges To Record Low After Mask-Mandate Lifted, Restaurants Back To Pre-Crisis Levels

For the better part of the past year, the US public was bombarded with “science” how only the wearing of a mask (or two masks, or three masks or more) was the only thing that stood between the Western way of life and Armageddon (despite the periodic emergence of cold, hard data showing no improvement in covid transmission in states that mandated masks vs those that did not, at least until Twitter decided to ban it). Then, one month ago, Texas had had enough and its governor shocked the Faucis of the world – and the White House – when he declared that the mask mandate in the state was officially over.

What happened then?

Well, in a development that would likely shock Dr. Fauci, newly confirmed Coronavirus cases in Texas plunged to their lowest since June, roughly three weeks after the state lifted its mask mandate and reopened businesses.

Additionally, the 7-day Covid positivity rate dropped to a new recorded low: 4.95%…

Source

Texas Governor Greg Abbott wrote in a tweet over the weekend. “Everyone now qualifies for a shot. They are highly recommended to prevent getting Covid but always voluntary.”

Today the 7-day Covid positivity rate dropped to a new recorded low: 4.95%

Hospitalizations dropped to a 6 month low

This week we have 1 million 1st vaccines available

Everyone now qualifies for a shot. They are highly recommended to prevent getting Covid but always voluntary

— Greg Abbott (@GregAbbott_TX) March 28, 2021

The 4.95 percent test positivity rate is the lowest the state has seen since the start of the pandemic. According to the Texas Department of State Health Services, some 1,900 new virus cases were reported on Sunday, which is the lowest daily number the state has seen since early June.

Data from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention showed that the seven-day moving average number of cases in Texas dropped to the lowest level since mid-June. According to the CDC, Texas was averaging 3,783 daily cases as of March 27.

Abbott’s tweet also noted that hospitalizations dropped to their lowest number in the past six months. According to data from the Texas Department of State Health Services (DSHS), 3,104 COVID-19 patients were in hospitals across the state as of Saturday. Data shows that the state has not recorded a number this low since September 19, when there were 3,081 hospitalizations. As of Monday, Texas has reported more than 2.3 million confirmed coronavirus cases and at least 47,156 deaths.

In an updated tweet from Wednesday, Abbott noted that Covid hospitalizations dropped to a new 6 month low, with the 7-day Covid positivity rate remaining below 6% for the 9th day in a row.

240,162 Texans got a Covid shot today.

We surpassed 11 million total shots–just 5 days after passing 10 million.

Hospitalizations went down to a new 6 month low.

The 7-day Covid positivity rate has remained below 6% for the 9th day in a row.

Great work Texans!

— Greg Abbott (@GregAbbott_TX) March 31, 2021

The drop in virus cases, hospitalizations and the testing positivity rate comes three weeks after the state officially lifted its pandemic restrictions, including a statewide mask mandate.

Abbott first announced the removal of most COVID-19 restrictions on March 2, when he tweeted that “Texas is OPEN 100%.”

“I also ended the statewide mask mandate,” Abbott wrote in the tweet. His executive order reopening the state went into effect March 10.

Separately, in a note from Goldman, the bank found that in Texas dining activity is now back above pre-crisis norms. The bank goes on to note that “while this may increase public health risks in coming months, it also suggests scope for a more rapid normalization in business activity in the interim.” Another way of saying this: small business are rejoicing having had the oppressive boot of government interference lifted from their daily lives.

Meanwhile, as Newsweek notes, Mississippi also removed its COVID-19 restrictions around the same time. Like Texas, Mississippi has seen a drop in virus cases and hospitalizations. According to CDC data, as of Saturday Mississippi was seeing an average of 254 daily cases, which is a decrease from the previous month, where the state was averaging around 520.

According to the state’s health department, Mississippi also saw a drop in COVID-19 hospitalizations, reporting 238 hospitalized patients with confirmed infections this past Friday, which is the lowest the state has seen since May.

Before the decreases in cases and hospitalizations in Texas and Mississippi, the two states received daily criticism for their coronavirus policies, including from Joe Biden’s teleprompter. Shortly after both states said they were lifting their COVID-19 restrictions, Biden said, “The last thing we need is Neanderthal thinking, that, in the meantime, everything’s fine, take off your mask, forget it. It still matters.”

It appears that the Neanderthals were right, after all.