GLOUCESTER , MASS. (WHDH) - Gov. Charlie Baker on Wednesday said his administration has “no plans” to lift the statewide mask mandate after Texas became the largest state in America to end the order that was put in place to prevent the spread of COVID-19.
“I think the mask mandate has been an important element in both encouraging behavior but also sending a message about the importance of recognizing and understanding that COVID is still very much with us,” Baker stated during a news conference that followed a tour of the West Parish School in Gloucester.
In addition to lifting the Lone Star state’s mask mandate, Gov. Greg Abbott on Tuesday also did away with limits on the number of diners that restaurants can serve indoors.
Only California and New York have reported more COVID-19 deaths than Texas, public health data shows.
Texas has seen the number of daily COVID-19 cases and deaths plunge, much like Massachusetts has in recent weeks, but Baker said the Bay State will stick to what is a scientifically proven method for guarding against the transmission of the virus.
“People need to take precautions, especially with the new variants that are out there…Some of these variants are even more contagious than the stuff we’ve been dealing with for the last 10 months, 11 months, 12 months,” Baker said. “We have no plans at this point in time to change the rules with respect to the mask mandate.”
North Dakota, Montana, and Iowa have also lifted mask orders in recent weeks.
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