President Joe Biden called the governors of Texas and Florida Tuesday and asked them to “contain” the spread of COVID-19 or “get out of the way.”
“Only two states, Florida and Texas, account for a third of all new COVID-19 cases in the entire country. Only two states, ”said Biden.
The president referred to the number of new COVID-19 cases in Texas and Florida, which has increased in the past few days. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, there were 64,753 new cases in Texas last week, compared to 123,400 in Florida.
Republican governors of both states have vowed against further containment efforts such as universal masking, vaccine mandates, or executing closings that restrict businesses, even though the highly transmissible Delta variant of the virus continues to rise.
Last week, Texas Governor Greg Abbott issued an executive order banning schools, governments, and other jurisdictions from introducing mask requirements. That order includes banning school districts from introducing mask guidelines in elementary schools where children under the age of 11 are not yet eligible for the vaccine and have no other protection from the virus.
“Look, we need guidance from everyone. If some governors are unwilling to do what is right to defeat this pandemic, they should allow corporations and universities that want to do what is right to do so, ”Biden said.
“I tell these governors, please help. If you don’t want to help, at least avoid the people who are trying to do the right thing. Use your power to save lives, ”said Biden.
In Texas, the Department of State Health Services reported Tuesday that hospital admissions were up about 500 compared to Monday, bringing the current number of COVID-19 patients in the state to 7,305. That number includes 1,967 patients in Texas intensive care units fighting the virus. The DSHS also added more than 14,000 new confirmed and probable cases of the virus on Tuesday.
Cases and hospital admissions have soared in Florida that they are breaking all-time records in both categories, surpassing the numbers seen in previous waves of the virus.
On Tuesday, NBC 5 in Miami reported that the number of people hospitalized in Florida for COVID-19 has risen to an all-time high of 11,515 patients, including 2,400 in intensive care units. That is around 1,200 more than the day before.
“We’re not closing, we’re going to open schools, we’re protecting the job of every Floridian,” said Governor Ron DeSantis at the press conference at the Shark Valley Visitor Center. “These interventions have failed time and again during this pandemic, not just in the United States but abroad. They haven’t stopped the spread and especially with Delta, which is even more transferable, if it hasn’t stopped before then it’s definitely not going to stop now. “
Despite Abbott’s order, Houston Mayor Sylvester Turner said Friday that all city workers will be required to wear masks indoors starting Wednesday, regardless of their vaccination status.
Meanwhile, Dallas County Judge Clay Jenkins and the judge ruled the 162nd trial and attendee on the threat of COVID-19. “
On Tuesday, Jenkins had a bailiff escort his colleague JJ Koch from a court hearing for the commissioner because he refused to wear a mask.
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