HOUSTON — Houston is having its first weekend without restrictions since the governor removed capacity limits and mask requirements in Texas.
It’s also spring break.
Houston’s nightclubs and bars have been waiting for this: the ability to re-open fully without limits or restrictions.
Social media videos posted from inside Midtown’s bars Friday night show the partiers are back in force and celebrating the fact that they no longer are required to wear masks.
What may have caused an establishment to be shut down one week ago is in full compliance of the law this weekend.
Nonetheless, medical experts have said it is a bad idea.
“It’s ill advised to take away some of these precautionary measures,”said Dr. Theo Vos from the University of Washington.
The university projected deaths in Texas could increase by 50 percent if people stop wearing masks.
In east downtown on Saturday, some bar and restaurant customers are wearing masks; others are not.
Several of the establishments did not change their own rules and say patrons still must wear masks.
“We’re still enforcing our mask mandates,” said Bryan Davis, an EaDo restaurant group director of operations. “And most of our customers are happy about that.”