Next Wednesday is a big day for the Lone Star State: Per a Tuesday executive order announced by Gov. Greg Abbott, Texas will be opening "100%" on that date, and there will no longer be a statewide mandate for people to wear face masks. Per the Texas Tribune, local health officials are already balking at the governor's order, noting that Texas is still ramping up its vaccination efforts. The emergence of coronavirus variants also makes this especially bad timing, they note. Houston, in fact, is the first US city to record having all of the various COVID strains. "Whatever the governor has recommended, it should not change what people do in terms of wearing masks," says Dr. John Carlo, CEO of Prism Health North Texas and part of the state medical association's coronavirus task force. "It's very clear that we need to continue to wear masks in public places, period." Health officials there are also advocating to continue other safety and health protocols, such as social distancing and hand-washing. More perspective on Abbott's order: