Texas fully reopened three weeks ago and cases did not surge

On March 2nd, Governor Gregg Abbot issued an executive order lifting Texas’ mask mandate and fully reopening the state. Proponents of lockdowns argued that this decision would kill Texans. Three weeks later however the data is showing that cases in Texas did not surge, and COVID-19 outcomes did not worsen.

As reported by Newsweek,

According to the Texas Department of State Health Services, at least 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 shows 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.

Texas is also not the only state to experience positive news

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.

The idea that lockdowns do not control the virus is something I have written extensively on throughout the emergency period. Lockdowns, even though they have devastated the Minnesota economy, have contributed very little to no difference in our COVID-19 outcomes. These two states are just more evidence of that phenomenon.