Murray J. Côté

Texas’ announced it is ending its COVID-19 restrictions. Its vaccination rate is among the lowest in the U.S., and its case numbers are still high. Montinique Monroe/Getty Images

States drop COVID‑19 mask mandates but still expect people to mask up – will they?

The COVID-19 case spike in the summer of 2020 and earlier attempts to rely on personal responsibility, like wearing seat belts, showed that mandates make a difference.
On June 26, Texas’ governor ordered bars to close as COVID-19 case numbers spiked, particularly among younger adults. This Houston bar, photographed in late May, voluntarily shut down shortly before the order after two staff members tested positive for the coronavirus. Mark Felix/AFP/Getty Images

COVID‑19 messes with Texas: What went wrong, and what other states can learn as younger people get sick

Texas hospitals are filling up with new COVID-19 cases, and many of the people falling ill are young.

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