With schools in Texas preparing to open in August, testing for the coronavirus has plummeted, and health officials in the state are worried.
Republican Gov. Greg Abbott recently said the trend was an issue and that not enough people were stepping forward to take the test as drive-thru testing sites have recorded a dramatic drop in visitors over the past several weeks.
“People have what we call COVID fatigue,” Abbott said during a visit to West Texas on Thursday. “They’re tired of wearing a face mask. They’re tired of leading more constricted lives. They’re tired of not being able to gather together with friends. And we get that. But the COVID disease doesn’t care about COVID fatigue. The COVID disease is just looking for another body to attach itself to.”
The fall-off in testing mirrors a drop nationwide and comes ahead of a return to schools for many students in the state. High school football is set to resume as well, which has prompted concern from leading health experts who worry the activity could lead to a lack of social distancing measures.
According to the COVID Tracking Project, close to 10,000 people have died in Texas since the outbreak began, and on average, more than 200 people have died from the virus in the past two weeks.
