Addis Ababa March 03, 2021 (Walta)– Texas will lift its mask requirement and allow businesses to reopen at full capacity next week, Governor Greg Abbott has announced.
“It is now time to open Texas 100%,” the Republican said on Tuesday.
Texas is the largest US state to end its mask mandate. Abbott has faced criticism from his party over the measure, which was imposed last July.
But the administration of US President Joe Biden has made it clear coronavirus restrictions are still necessary.
The announcement in Texas came as similar rules were lifted in other states, including Michigan, Louisiana, and Mississippi, which also ended its mask mandate.
The roll-out of vaccinations against Covid-19 has boosted confidence in a return to pre-pandemic life in the US.
On Tuesday, President Biden said the US was on track to have enough vaccines for every adult in the country by the end of May.
Yet the wave of reopenings has put states at odds with the Biden administration and its senior health officials, who have reacted with dismay to the relaxation of coronavirus measures at a precarious time in the pandemic, according to BBC.