Gov. Greg Abbott of Texas examined constructive for the coronavirus on Tuesday and is receiving an antibody remedy, although he has no signs, the governor’s workplace introduced.
An ardent opponent of masks and vaccine mandates, Mr. Abbott, a Republican, has taken his opposition to such necessities all the best way to the state Supreme Court docket. Mr. Abbott, who’s absolutely vaccinated, will now be remoted within the Governor’s Mansion whereas receiving monoclonal antibody remedy, which might help Covid-19 sufferers who’re vulnerable to getting very sick.
“The governor has been testing day by day, and in the present day was the primary constructive check end result,” the assertion stated. “Governor Abbott is in fixed communication along with his workers, company heads, and authorities.”
The announcement got here lower than a day after Mr. Abbott appeared at a crowded indoor political occasion hosted by a Republican membership in Collin County, a hotly contested space of fast-growing suburbs north of Dallas.
Within the photographs and in movies posted by the governor’s marketing campaign, Mr. Abbott could possibly be seen smiling and shaking fingers with supporters who had been largely unmasked. “Collin County is fired as much as hold Texas RED,” the governor’s marketing campaign posted.
In line with the Houston Chronicle, Mr. Abbott informed these gathered that masks had been non-compulsory — a stance that he has taken throughout Texas at the same time as circumstances have risen sharply and a few hospitals are filling to at or close to capability. The governor’s workplace didn’t reply to questions on the occasion.
At the very least 10 different sitting governors — 4 Democrats and 6 Republicans — have examined constructive for the coronavirus for the reason that pandemic started, in line with reviews compiled by Ballotpedia; so have 4 lieutenant governors, all Republicans.
Vaccinations in Texas lag behind these of many different states, and coronavirus deaths are rising, although much more slowly than in prior waves, given {that a} majority of the state’s oldest and most weak residents are actually vaccinated. The state has averaged greater than 14,700 new circumstances a day as of Monday, a rise of 53 p.c from two weeks earlier, in line with a New York Occasions database.
Mr. Abbott, 63, has confronted withering criticism as coronavirus circumstances have elevated sharply in Texas and obtainable intensive-care beds have dwindled in Austin and different cities. However he maintained his ban on masks mandates, which prohibits native officers from imposing restrictions of their communities.
Information of his constructive check and pictures of the governor in a big gathering the day earlier than introduced fast scorn from some Democrats, who stated it was an instance of why his method to the virus was problematic. Republicans, however, pointed to current photographs of President Obama at his birthday celebration in a equally massive unmasked crowd.
“I’m after all praying for the governor. I do know the governor was vaccinated and I’m hopeful that that may trigger this to be a fast prevalence and he will likely be feeling higher,” stated Jeff Leach, a Republican member of the State Home of Representatives from Collin County.
“I assist President Obama’s proper to have a birthday celebration,” stated Mr. Leach, who has launched a invoice to ban colleges from requiring masks, according to Mr. Abbott’s method. “And I assist Governor Abbott’s proper to talk at an occasion.”
Concern and frustration over the course of the pandemic in Texas, the nation’s second most populous state, come as colleges are getting ready to reopen, elevating worries about additional unfold of the virus.
Final month, the Facilities for Illness Management and Prevention issued new steerage recommending that even absolutely vaccinated folks ought to put on a masks indoors in high-risk areas, and that everybody put on masks in colleges, no matter vaccination standing. Mr. Abbott, although, doubled down in the wrong way. He issued an govt order that prohibited native governments and state companies from mandating vaccines, and reaffirmed earlier selections to ban native officers from mandating masks.
The governor additionally affirmed that colleges couldn’t impose masks mandates for college students; some public well being consultants warned that the ban might result in one other surge in circumstances.
A overwhelming majority of counties throughout america are experiencing both “substantial” or “excessive” transmission, in line with the C.D.C.
Late on Friday, after Mr. Abbott’s ban suffered a minimum of three authorized setbacks, the state lawyer basic, Ken Paxton, stated he was taking the problem to the State Supreme Court docket. The setbacks had been in areas with Democratic leaders, rampant coronavirus circumstances and rising hospitalizations.
The State Supreme Court docket then sided with the state on Sunday, granting a request for an emergency keep of an appellate courtroom ruling that will have allowed colleges to make face coverings obligatory.
Because the virus surged, the Texas Division of State Well being Companies requested 5 mortuary trailers from the federal authorities on Aug. 4 “as a precaution,” Douglas Loveday, a spokesman for the state well being division, stated in an emailed assertion. The mortuary trailers will likely be stored in San Antonio, although none have been requested by cities or counties as of Tuesday, he stated.
The 5 trailers are scheduled to reach in Texas starting on Friday, in line with a spokeswoman for the Federal Emergency Administration Company.
Edgar Sandoval contributed reporting.
