Greg Abbott didn't tell 3 of his 4 medical advisers before lifting Texas' mask mandate: report

On Wednesday, the Austin American-Statesmanreported that Gov. Greg Abbott (R-TX) did not inform three of the four medical advisers on his pandemic task force, Strike Force to Open Texas, before lifting all COVID-19 restrictions in the state.

"Texas' top health official said Wednesday he did not speak with Gov. Greg Abbott before the governor announced Tuesday he would end his statewide mask order and '"open Texas 100%,'" reported Asher Price. "Dr. John Hellerstedt told state lawmakers he 'did not have a personal conversation' with Abbott ahead of the governor's announcement, which has been widely criticized by public health experts, the leaders of the state's biggest cities and counties, as well as federal officials, including President Joe Biden."

Abbott has come under heavy criticism for his decision, given that Texas lags the nation at 48th in vaccine distribution. And it seems some of Abbott's medical advisers agree it was premature.

"'Texas has been making some real progress, but it's too soon for full reopening and to stop masking around others,' one of the advisers, Dr. Mark McClellan, a Duke University professor of business, medicine, and policy, told the American-Statesman," said the report. "Another adviser, Dr. Parker Hudson, a Dell Medical School assistant professor for infectious diseases, told the Statesman, 'I was not involved in this decision."

President Joe Biden has projected that there will be enough doses of vaccine for every U.S. adult by the end of May.