Fort Bend County is the latest in Texas to announce a mask mandate.
Masks will be worn in County building and public schools. County Judge KP George said cases of the Delta Covid-19 variant are growing exponentially. He raised the county threat level to red raised the risk level from orange to red, which is the highest and indicates high community risk. He notes school is underway. "My promise to you today is I will do anything I possibly can to protect and defend our children, our community and our people."
George says the Governor's order causes harm and risks the health and safety of our public employees and their families, many of whom have school-age children.
Fort Bend County sued the state and was granted a temporary restraining order which allows it to order masks be worn in all county schools and federal buildings. The court motion was necessary as Governor Abbott has banned all mask mandates in Texas.
County Attorney Bridgette Smith-Lawson says it should not have come to this. "It's very frustrating. If you were in the hospital and you were laying ill in a bed and your family had to make a decision regarding your care and had to go to court regarding your care, just think about how cumbersome that is."
District Attorney Brian Middleton says "there are some people who don't want to wear a mask, but I don't think there's anyone who wants to be seriously ill."
