Vaccination Rate Higher in Michigan, But Texas Mask Free And Open
COVID case-level declines similar in both states
The governor of Texas has issued an order effective March 10 lifting statewide face mask mandates and allowing businesses, including restaurants, to resume service to customers at full capacity.
“With the medical advancements of vaccines and antibody therapeutic drugs, Texas now has the tools to protect Texans from the virus,” said Texas Gov. Greg Abbott. “We must now do more to restore livelihoods and normalcy for Texans by opening Texas 100%. Make no mistake, COVID-19 has not disappeared, but it is clear from the recoveries, vaccinations, reduced hospitalizations, and safe practices that Texans are using that state mandates are no longer needed.”
According to The New York Times, 12.9% of the people in Texas have received at least one dose of a COVID-19 vaccine as of March 2. The comparable number for Michigan is higher, at 15.4%.
Just like the rest of the country, Texas has seen a tremendous drop in the number of daily news cases of COVID-19.
On Jan. 5, the number of new confirmed cases there peaked at 31,882. By March 2, the number of new daily cases statewide had fallen to 6,826.
Michigan has experienced a similar decline. The number of new positive tests each day peaked at 10,140 on Nov. 20. In Michigan, there were 1,642 new cases reported on March 2.
Michigan Capitol Confidential is the news source produced by the Mackinac Center for Public Policy. Michigan Capitol Confidential reports with a free-market news perspective.