Texas Gov. Greg Abbott banned mask mandates. Nevertheless, Austin persisted.


U.S. COVID-19 cases are on the rise again, increasing by about 12 percent over the past week, and U.S. health officials are warning of a fourth wave of the pandemic. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Director Rochelle Walensky said Monday she fears "impending doom," and President Biden urged states and local governments to keep or reinstate mask mandates. "Please, this is not politics," Biden said. "A failure to take this virus seriously — precisely what got us into this mess in the first place — risks more cases and more deaths."
"A lot of states and cities are pulling back on mask mandates," Dr. Anthony Fauci, Biden's chief medical adviser, told Politico. "And what we're really trying to say is just hang on a bit longer."
Texas Gov. Greg Abbott (R) ended nearly all COVID-19 safety restrictions, including local mask mandates, on March 10, when cases were still trending downward nationwide. Austin and Travis County said they would continue requiring public mask use, prompting an immediate lawsuit from state Attorney General Ken Paxton (R). Last Friday, District Judge Lora Livingston sided with Austin, at least temporarily, and rejected Paxton's request for an emergency injunction while she considers the merits of the case.
The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
Austin is taking the win. "Every day that we can keep the local health authority mask mandate in place is a victory," Austin Mayor Steve Adler told The Texas Tribune. "The fact that we were able to keep it in place for the last two weeks, during spring break, is a victory, for however long it lasts."
"The debate over who has the authority to set local health orders cleaves along familiar political lines," The Washington Post reports, and in Texas, the Republicans control the state government and Democrats control the large cities.
Austin may have won this power struggle, but it still paid a cost. At least four groups canceled conferences or conventions in Austin, citing Abbott's decision to end mask mandates, The Texas Tribune reports. "These were rooms that were already on the books, and largely what we saw was fallout, ironically, from the governor opening the economy," said Joe Bolash, general manager of the Hilton Austin, which lost $350,000 in revenue, according to the city-created corporation that runs and manages the hotel.
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
Peter has worked as a news and culture writer and editor at The Week since the site's launch in 2008. He covers politics, world affairs, religion and cultural currents. His journalism career began as a copy editor at a financial newswire and has included editorial positions at The New York Times Magazine, Facts on File, and Oregon State University.
-
The ‘Shakespearean bitterness’ of the thermostat wars
Talking Point ‘Genuine physiological differences’ mean women and men are at odds over temperatures at home
-
China’s rare earth controls
The Explainer Beijing has shocked Washington with export restrictions on minerals used in most electronics
-
Quiz of The Week: 11 – 17 October
Quiz Have you been paying attention to The Week’s news?
-
Pentagon reporters turn in badges after refusing rules
Speed Read They refused to sign a restrictive new press policy imposed by Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth
-
Supreme Court points to gutting Voting Rights Act
speed read States would no longer be required to consider race when drawing congressional maps
-
Trump says he authorized covert CIA ops in Venezuela
Speed Read He is also considering military strikes inside the country
-
‘Vile, racist’ leaked chats roil Young Republicans
Speed Read Leaders of Young Republican groups made racist, antisemitic and violent comments in private chats
-
Trump ties $20B Argentina bailout to Milei votes
speed read Trump will boost Argentina’s economy — if the country’s right-wing president wins upcoming elections
-
News organizations reject Pentagon restrictions
Speed Read The proposed policy is Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth’s latest move to limit press access at the Pentagon
-
Trump declares end to Gaza war, ‘dawn’ of new Mideast
Speed Read Hamas freed the final 20 living Israeli hostages and Israel released thousands of Palestinian detainees
-
Trump DOJ indicts New York AG Letitia James
Speed Read New York Attorney General Letitia James was indicted as Trump’s Justice Department pursues charges against his political opponents