A newly “open” state will likely look very different in rural towns and suburban neighborhoods compared to more populous areas and coronavirus hot spots, residents and business owners say.
Coronavirus in Texas
As the coronavirus spread across the state, The Texas Tribune covered the most important health, economic, academic and breaking developments that affected Texans. Our map tracker showed the number of cases, deaths, tests and vaccinations in Texas from 2020-22.
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Coronavirus in Texas
Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton threatened to sue Austin over mask mandate. The city isn’t backing down.
Austin and Travis County officials said they would continue to require masks even after Gov. Greg Abbott ended his statewide mandate.
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Coronavirus in Texas
Texans 50 and older will be eligible for a COVID-19 vaccine starting March 15
Before the Wednesday announcement, already between 10 million and 13 million people — more than one-third of Texas’ population — were eligible, according to state health officials.
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Coronavirus in Texas
Texas no longer has a statewide mask mandate. But face coverings are still required in some businesses and public places.
Texas’ statewide mask mandate has ended as of March 10. Businesses are also now allowed to operate at full capacity as long as the hospitals in their region haven’t been treating a large share of patients for COVID-19. Here’s a look at what the loosened restrictions mean for Texans.
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Coronavirus in Texas
Masks won’t be required at state Capitol — but lawmakers face stricter rules in House, Senate chambers
The Texas Senate and House have different rules for their members. But both require members to wear masks, though there are exceptions to when their faces must be covered.
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Coronavirus in Texas
Austin officials say they’ll continue requiring masks in public — but it’s unclear how they’ll be able to enforce the rule
Gov. Greg Abbott issued an order effective Wednesday that says “no jurisdiction” can impose jail time or other penalties for not wearing a mask.
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Coronavirus in Texas
Texas lifts yearlong ban on prison visitation beginning March 15
State prisons shut down visitation last March due to the coronavirus pandemic.
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Coronavirus in Texas
Texans don’t have to prove they’re eligible for the COVID-19 vaccine, and some are jumping the line. Here’s why.
Providers are not allowed, under state health guidelines, to require vaccine recipients to prove a medical condition that would qualify them because it could create barriers at a time when Texas is trying to vaccinate most of its 29 million residents.
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Coronavirus in Texas
A Mexican restaurant in Houston is keeping its mask rule. People threatened to call ICE on the staff.
Gov. Greg Abbott’s decision to lift the statewide mask mandate has not come easily for many businesses that are navigating enforcement of mask rules while facing backlash. “It was just horrific,” said Monica Richards, co-owner of Picos.
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Coronavirus in Texas
Texas businesses must decide whether to require face masks. Some worry they could lose customers either way.
A day after Gov. Greg Abbott announced plans to fully reopen businesses and end the state’s mask mandate, small business owners across Texas found themselves struggling to decide what to do next.