The convention is expected to bring thousands to hard-hit Houston in what Texas Republicans bill as 'the largest political gathering in the free world.'
Tuesday, Texas Medical Association President Dr. Diana L. Fite said that “This is just not the time to bring thousands of party faithful from around the state to an indoor meeting in a county that, as I write, reports more than 18,000 active COVID-19 cases.”, the Texas Republican Party says that over 10,000 are expected to attend the convention over its three days, which it advertises as “the largest political gathering in the free world.
New coronavirus cases and hospitalizations have spiked in Texas over the course of June, leading Republican Gov. Greg Abbott toBars have once again had to close down and restaurant capacity has been lowered to 50% from 75%, per Abbott’s order, as the governor has asked residents to not leave their homes unless necessary and pleaded with the public to wear masks.
Masks will be optional for convention attendees, even as Houston has now become a national epicenter for the coronavirus, with hospitalizations quadrupling since Memorial Day.CRITICAL QUOTE “The daily chart of active cases in Harris County has been nearly a straight line upward for the past two weeks,” Fite wrote. “As an emergency physician in Houston treating patients with COVID-19, I speak from firsthand experience: It would be best for the health of your conventioneers and the residents of Houston for the RPT not to hold its biennial convention there as planned."due to the coronavirus until at least Aug. 26.
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