New analysis: Texas receives trending poorly marks for COVID-19 containment measures

TexPIRG provides fact sheet based on metrics from coronavirus watchdog

TexPIRG

AUSTIN– With America as a whole continuing to struggle in containing the COVID-19 virus,  TexPIRG released a new fact sheet today calling on Texas to maintain all current restrictions related to COVID-19, and take additional measures to improve containment. 

This finding is based on analysis by CovidExitStrategy.org a nonpartisan group of public health and crisis experts, which ranked Texas , as trending poorly based on its analysis of Texas performance on four Centers for Disease Control-recommended benchmarks. 

“From early on in this pandemic, it’s been clear that we must listen to public health experts or suffer dire consequences,” said Bay Scoggin, TexPIRG Director. “What we are seeing right now in our leaders are failing to act in a way that protects the health and welfare of our citizens.”

The fact sheet provides data in the four key categories: 14-day decline in influenza-like illness; declining COVID positive cases; diminishing percentage of COVID positive cases; and appropriate hospital capacity.

As of June 26, Texas was meeting zero of four benchmarks.

Nationally, only 6 states are meeting the standards in all four categories as of June 26. As of Sunday, the number had dropped to three.

“Every situation is different, so there’s no one-size-fits all formula for states to follow to the letter,” said Scoggin. “But Texas is simply not doing enough to combat COVID-19 when it comes to these important benchmarks”

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Tex PIRG is an advocate for the public interest. We speak out for a healthier, safer world in which we’re freer to pursue our own individual well-being and the common good.