10 things you need to know today: March 3, 2021

Biden says the U.S. should have enough vaccine for all adults by May, Texas' governor lifts state mask mandate, and more

Biden and Harris
(Image credit: Doug Mills-Pool/Getty Images)

1. Texas, Mississippi to lift mask mandates, let businesses reopen

Texas Gov. Greg Abbott (R) announced Tuesday that his state would end its mask mandate and let businesses reopen now that daily coronavirus infections and deaths were falling, and vaccines are becoming more widely available. "It is now time to open Texas 100 percent," Abbott said flanked by local business leaders in Lubbock. "Everybody who wants to work should have the opportunity. Every business that wants to be open should be open." Abbott noted that the state had an "abundance" of personal protective equipment, testing facilities, and therapeutic drugs to treat COVID-19. Mississippi Gov. Tate Reeves (R) also announced Tuesday that businesses can operate at full capacity and county mask mandates will be lifted starting Wednesday. Dr. Mark Escott, Travis County, Texas, Interim Health Authority, urged people to continue wearing masks and social distancing, saying the precautions "remain critical in our ongoing fight against COVID-19."

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Harold Maass, The Week US

Harold Maass is a contributing editor at The Week. He has been writing for The Week since the 2001 debut of the U.S. print edition and served as editor of TheWeek.com when it launched in 2008. Harold started his career as a newspaper reporter in South Florida and Haiti. He has previously worked for a variety of news outlets, including The Miami Herald, ABC News and Fox News, and for several years wrote a daily roundup of financial news for The Week and Yahoo Finance.