Governors defended easing Covid restrictions as health officials voice caution

In some of the more extreme rollbacks, Mississippi Gov. Tate Reeves and Texas Gov. Greg Abbott, both Republicans, lifted mask mandates and allowed businesses to operate at full capacity in their states -- stances President Joe Biden blasted as "neanderthal thinking."

Reeves defended his decision on "State of the Union" on Sunday, telling CNN's Jake Tapper that the number of hospitalizations have "plummeted" in his state. "The fact is the numbers don't justify government interaction at the levels that we are seeing in other states," he said.

Some governors, fighting Covid fatigue in their states, have begun to lessen restrictions after weeks of declines in infection numbers and as coronavirus vaccines are being rolled out nationwide.

 

But case numbers now seem to have plateaued at high levels and highly contagious variants are already circulating in the US, leading top health officials -- including Dr.

Anthony Fauci, director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Director Dr. Rochelle Walensky -- to caution that lifting restrictions prematurely could lead to another surge in coronavirus cases. ...

 

Arkansas Gov. Asa Hutchinson, a Republican, relaxed restrictions on opening up businesses in February but will lift the mask mandate at the end of the March. He told Fox News' Chris Wallace on Sunday that "at some point we have to rely upon common sense and good judgment versus mandates" and that businesses should have some flexibility. Asked about going against guidance from health officials and Biden, Hutchinson said he could reinstate the mask mandate if case or hospitalization numbers rise. ...