COVID-19: Wyoming refuses mask mandate, Texas asks for mortuary trailers

Mark Gordon, the Governor of the US state of Wyoming
has revealed that says that state will not return to a statewide mask order or
mandate vaccination against the coronavirus despite a resurgence of the
COVID-19 virus.

Governor Gordon had imposed a statewide mask
mandate in December last year. He then lifted the mandate in March of this year.
He said on Monday that mandates can cause some people to resist wearing masks.

Gordon also says he does not expect any
shutdowns like the public health orders that forced many Wyoming businesses and
public places to close or limit occupancy through much of 2020 and into 2021,
the Associated Press reported.

Coronavirus infections are back up to levels
not seen in Wyoming since January. Becker’s Hospital Review says Wyoming has
one of the nation’s lowest vaccination rates, about 37%.

On the other hand, Texas health officials have asked the federal government for five mortuary trailers as coronavirus infections and hospitalizations for COVID-19 reach
the highest levels since January.

But the Texas Department of State Health
Services also said on Monday that no local officials so far have reached out
with needs for extra mortuary space.

Texas reported more than 11,700 patients
hospitalized with COVID-19 on Monday, a 17% increase from a week ago. The
seven-day daily average of COVID-19 deaths is also back above 50 for the first
time since spring.

The pandemic is blamed for more than 52,000
deaths in Texas.