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		</div><p>Texas Governor Greg Abbott has ordered that face coverings must be worn in public across most of the state, a dramatic ramp up of the Republican’s efforts to control spiking numbers of confirmed coronavirus cases.</p>
<p>Gov Abbott, who had pushed Texas’ aggressive reopening of the state economy in May, previously said the government could not order individuals to wear masks.</p>
<p>His prior virus-related orders had undercut efforts by local governments to enforce mask requirements.</p>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="550" data-dnt="true">
<p lang="en" dir="ltr">Wearing a face covering in public is proven to be one of the most effective ways to slow the spread of <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/COVID19?src=hash&;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#COVID19</a> while continuing to keep Texas businesses open. </p>
<p>Texans should wear a face covering for the health of their families, friends, and for all fellow Texans. <a href="https://t.co/5oWVfZMsph">pic.twitter.com/5oWVfZMsph</a></p>
<p>&mdash; Gov. Greg Abbott (@GovAbbott) <a href="https://twitter.com/GovAbbott/status/1278791653017432065?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 2, 2020</a></p></blockquote>
<p><script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></p>
<p>But faced with dramatically rising numbers of both newly-confirmed cases of the Covid-19 virus and the number of patients so sick they needed to be hospitalised, Gov Abbott changed course with the statewide mask order.</p>
<p>The order requires “all Texans to wear a face covering over the nose and mouth in public spaces in counties with 20 or more positive Covid-19 cases, with few exceptions”.</p>
<p>Violators can be fined up to 250 US dollars. There are exceptions for people who have a medical condition or disability, who are exercising outdoors, or who are participating in a religious service or voting.</p>
<p>Texas this week began its month-long early voting period for its primary elections.</p>
<p>Gov Abbott also gave mayors and county authorities the ability to ban outdoor gatherings of more than 10 people.</p>
<p>In his order and a statement, Gov Abbott said wearing a mask is a proven method to slowing down the virus’ spread and said if Texans comply “more extreme measures may be avoided”.</p>
<p>Gov Abbott has said he does not want to roll back his previous orders to reopen the economy. But last week he moved to reclose bars and limit dine-in capacity in restaurants to 50%.</p>
<p>“We have the ability to keep businesses open and move our economy forward so that Texans can continue to earn a paycheck, but it requires each of us to do our part to protect one another — and that means wearing a face covering in public spaces,” he said.</p>
<p>Gov Abbott has been under extreme pressure from both Democrats and Republicans on his reopening plans.</p>
<p>Democrats, most notably the leadership of the state’s largest cities, have complained Gov Abbott reopened Texas too quickly and have pointed to record numbers of confirmed new cases and hospitalisations.</p>
<p>Conservative politicians condemned his early moves to combat the virus, including business and school closures and a stay-at-home order that expired in May.</p>
<p>“The move to mandate face masks comes far too little, far too late for Governor Abbott,” Texas Democratic Party communications director Abhi Rahman said.</p>
<p>“Texans are still getting sick. Families are still suffering … All of this could have been prevented if Governor Abbott had listened to experts and medical professionals in the first place.”</p>
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