Texas Gov. Greg Abbott issued an government order late Monday banning any entity within the state, together with non-public companies, from requiring prospects or workers to get vaccinated towards covid-19. Curiously, the order doesn’t apply to the quite a few different vaccinations which might be required to take part in society, just like the seven vaccines obligatory for teenagers to attend college in Texas.

President Joe Biden not too long ago introduced the covid-19 vaccine will quickly be required for all workers at firms with not less than 100 folks—an order that will likely be enforced by present office security measures overseen by OSHA. But it’s not clear how effectively the mandate will likely be enforced, particularly if it conflicts with state orders, like the brand new one in Texas.

Only 51.9% of Texans are vaccinated towards covid-19, effectively beneath the nationwide determine of 56.8%. And instances are nonetheless disturbingly excessive, with a seven-day common of recent instances at roughly 7,200. Roughly 241 folks in Texas are dying from covid-19 every day.

Gov. Abbott, a Republican, launched a press release insisting the covid-19 vaccines are protected and efficient, even going as far as to say that they’re the very best protection towards the virus. But the tip of his assertion utterly undermines each optimistic factor he mentioned.

“The covid-19 vaccine is safe, effective, and our best defense against the virus, but should remain voluntary and never forced,” Gov. Abbott mentioned.

Did you catch that? While acknowledging that vaccination is protected and tacitly admitting vaccines are the one factor that may finally finish the pandemic, Abbott provides a wink and a nod to his anti-vaccine base to pledge his loyalty. Coincidentally, it occurs to be loyalty to dying and illness.

The full textual content of the executive order:

No entity in Texas can compel receipt of a COVID-19 vaccine by any particular person, together with an worker or a client, who objects to such vaccination for any motive of non-public conscience, based mostly on a spiritual perception, or for medical causes, together with prior restoration from COVID-19. I hereby droop all related statutes to the extent essential to implement this prohibition.

Vaccine mandates are wildly standard with the overwhelming majority of American employees, who would relatively not work alongside egocentric assholes who refuse to get vaccinated towards covid-19. In truth, United Airlines noticed an enormous uptick in job candidates after it began mandating the covid-19 vaccine for all employees. The firm has seen over 20,000 apply to be flight attendants for about 2,000 positions, charges effectively above regular, based on the New York Times.

Will Gov. Abbott’s government order get up towards a federal order from Biden mandating vaccines? We’ll be taught quickly sufficient. But even earlier than the Texas order was signed Monday evening, loads of Republicans have been already promising to sue the feds over President Biden’s mandates.

If you haven’t gotten vaccinated but, there’s nonetheless time. The numerous covid-19 vaccines accepted by the FDA are protected, efficient, they usually’re free. Go get the shot, supplied you’re not one of many miniscule number of people that want a medical exemption as a result of you’ve a extreme allergic response to the vaccine. It’s the one factor that can get us out of this pandemic and on with our lives.