Mask Mandate Issued In Austin-Travis County, Defying Gov's Ban

Austin TX

12 August, 2021

11:19 AM

Description

AUSTIN, TX — Austin-Travis County officials have issued a mask mandate for public schools, including colleges, and city/county buildings effective Thursday defying Texas Gov. Greg Abbott's executive order. Travis County Judge Andy Brown and Mayor Steve Adler signed the order Wednesday evening as a result of coronavirus cases spiking in the metro area and children heading back to school for the 2021-22 school year. The city-county order states students, staff and visitors over the age of two are required to wear a face covering while on school property or school busses during stage 3, 4 and 5 as set forth in Austin Public Health's risk-based chart, according to the city-county website. The order also states an individual over the age of two is required to wear a face covering while present on or in city and county property unless expressly exempted in section 2 or by a city or county policy applicable to the premises or facility. "With our kids back in school next week, our community and public health officials have called on us to take this reasonable measure," said Brown in a tweet. "This will protect countless lives and keep us safe." NEW: @MayorAdler & I signed orders requiring masks in public schools and county/city buildings. With our kids back in school next week, our community & public health officials have called on us to take this reasonable measure. This will protect countless lives & keep us safe.— Andy Brown (@TravisCoJudge) August 11, 2021 On Monday, Austin ISD announced it would require students, staff and visitors to wear a mask on school properties starting Wednesday ahead of its 2021-2022 school year. Superintendent Stephanie Elizalde made the decision Monday evening after the district held a virtual board meeting with parents discussing COVID-19 safety protocol before the new school year begins on Aug. 17. "I am responsible for the safety, health and welfare of each and every one of our students and our staff. If I err, I must err on the side of ensuring that we've been overly cautious, not that we have fallen short," Elizalde said. The school district joins Dallas, Houston and Fort Worth as one of the few districts to defy Gov. Abbott's executive order. "Masks will address the surge, and vaccinations will end the pandemic. To get out of this, we need to do both as a community." -Dr. Desmar Walkes Austin Orders: https://t.co/dzZsWWJUGo Travis County Orders: https://t.co/uKkp8htlR4 Get vaccinated: https://t.co/yUtPLA9Wek— Austin Public Health (@AusPublicHealth) August 11, 2021 According to executive order GA-38, which was issued in May, no public school district, public university, or local official can issue a mask order. On Wednesday, Abbott and Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton announced it would buckle down on local authorities, including school districts, who defy the order. Those who do, will be taken to court. "The path forward relies on personal responsibility — not government mandates. The state of Texas will continue to vigorously fight the temporary restraining order (an order issued by Dallas and Bexar Counties) to protect the rights and freedoms of all Texans." Paxton said he is confident that the courts will rule in the state's favor and will side with liberty and individual choice, not mandates and government overreach. Today (8/11) the Austin MSA saw 93 new hospital admissions for #COVID19. This brings hospitalizations up to 596, which includes 198 in the ICU. Find more data on the dashboards: https://t.co/cP7dcvBpY9 Find your COVID-19 Vaccine: https://t.co/uNEZHhMj3c pic.twitter.com/mz3ziDbYHt— Austin Public Health (@AusPublicHealth) August 11, 2021 While state officials push for personal responsibility, many local officials are saying it's not enough as cases, particularly the contagious delta variant, spike across the state. According to the Texas Department of State Health Services, there were 14,214 new coronavirus cases and 112 new deaths across Texas as of Wednesday. About 174,331 cases remain active. In Travis County alone, there were 533 new cases and three new deaths as of Wednesday. There were 2,758 active cases. According to county data, Travis County set a pandemic record for the most patients in hospital intensive care units for COVID-19, according to health data released Wednesday. The 198 people in ICUs in Travis County eclipses the pandemic record of 190 set earlier this year on Jan. 12 in the middle of a winter surge in coronavirus cases. County health officials said infants, children and teens have experienced severe illness due to the delta variant, especially those under 12 years of age, who are not yet eligible to be vaccinated. "Masks address the surge, and vaccinations will end the pandemic. To get out of this, we need to do both as a community," said Dr. Desmar Walkes, the city-county health authority. RELATED COVERAGE: Only 2 Available ICU Beds Left In Austin Metro: APH Austin Pride Parade Canceled As COVID-19 Cases Surge UT Austin Will Require Negative COVID-19 Tests For Campus Move-In