AUSTIN, Texas — Reversing course, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Tuesday urged even vaccinated people to wear masks indoors as COVID cases surge across the country. The CDC also extended those recommendations for all school teachers, staffers, students and visitors to schools, regardless of vaccination status. However, because Gov. Greg Abbott said he will not reinstate mask mandates, it will be tough to enforce.​


What You Need To Know

  • CDC now urging vaccinated and unvaccinated Americans to wear protective masks indoors

  • Texas Gov. Greg Abbott says he will not issue another mask mandate

  • Concern is growing as the new school year is fast approaching and children 12 and younger are still not eligible to be vaccinated

  • Texas Democrats in a letter urged Abbott and state education officials to permit school districts to mandate mask usage

As a pediatrician, parent and wife of an elementary school teacher, Dr. Marjan Linnell said she knows just how important it is for students to get back to in-person learning. The big question is, how to do it while mitigating the spread of COVID-19.

Linnell said some medical professionals have likened the rising mental health concerns associated with isolation to a "second pandemic." She said she is worried about COVID getting around students because those 12 years and under are still not eligible to receive the vaccine.

“While our kiddos are not eligible to get that vaccine, the next best way to protect them is to require universal masking in schools," Linnell said. 

CDC officials said data from outbreak clusters helped lead to their decision, which comes in response to the rapid spread of the contagious delta variant which is infecting children.  

“COVID affects kids. It's seeming like delta is much easier to spread as compared to the prior variants that we were seeing. We know kids can die from COVID. I've had several patients admitted to the hospital," Linnell said. 

Mask mandates cannot happen at a state or local level in Texas unless Abbott rescinds an executive order from earlier this year. Some Texas teacher associations are urging him to change his mind and allow local school district officials to make those requirements on their own.    

“We are having to contend with a situation where our very own governor, yet again, is putting the lives of children and the community at risk," Alejandra Lopez, president of the San Antonio Alliance of Teachers and Supporter Personnel, said. "It's once again going to be a community effort to ensure that we minimize the effects of COVID-19 in our communities."

But Abbott has doubled down on his stance.

In a statement to Capital Tonight, Abbott’s press secretary, Renae Eze, said, “Governor Abbott has been clear that the time for government mandating of masks is over — now is the time for personal responsibility. Every Texan has the right to choose whether they will wear a mask, or have their children wear masks."

Eze went on to say they urge all eligible Texans to get the vaccine, and reiterated doing so will remain voluntary. 

Earlier this week , Texas Democrats sent a letter to Abbott and Texas Education Agency officials urging them to allow administrators to enforce masks. Rep. Vikki Goodwin, D-Austin, sent the letter, and 31 other lawmakers co-signed it. Goodwin said she feels when Abbott first made his decision to end mask mandates, it was during a time when cases were not spiking due to variants. 

"I am hearing from a lot of parents saying they don't want to send their kids back, so they're looking at with virtual options," Goodwin said. "We haven't figured this thing out yet. COVID is not gone. We've kind of hit a wall in terms of how many people are getting vaccinated, and then kids under 12 can't get vaccinated yet."​

Linnell encourages people to wear masks even if not required, and she thinks it would allow adults to set good examples for young Texans.  “Even if Mom is vaccinated, I'm going to wear my mask. I have been wearing my mask if I go inside of a store with my kiddos, because it's really important to role model and to protect them," Linnell said.