Texas Republican Governor Greg Abbott is under fire after signing a wide-ranging COVID-19 executive order Thursday that bans any mask or vaccine mandates, bans anyone requesting or requiring proof of vaccination to obtain goods or services, but promotes “personal responsibility” as the means to control what is quickly becoming a new Delta variant-fueled wave of the coronavirus pandemic.

According to the CDC Texas has had over 47,000 new COVID cases and 240 new COVID deaths in the past seven days, with a huge 15%-19.9% positivity rate. Since the start of the pandemic Texas has, under Governor Abbott’s leadership, seen nearly 3.1 million coronavirus cases and almost 52,000 deaths. Texas reports just 52% of its population 12 and older has been vaccinated.

Abbott’s executive order says, “There are no COVID-19-related operating limits for any business or other establishment,” and “no person may he required by any jurisdiction to wear or to mandate the wearing of a face covering.”

“Texans are strongly encouraged as a matter of personal responsibility to consistently follow good hygiene, social-distancing. and other mitigation practices,” and vaccines “will never be mandated by the government,” although “it is strongly encouraged for those eligible to receive one.”

The order also overrides and voids any “COVID-19-related limitations imposed by local governmental entities or officials.”

One local Texas NBC affiliate reports, “Abbott pushes personal responsibility over government mandates as pandemic surges.”

Here’s what some Texans are saying:

For months, Governor Abbott has been clear: He believes that everyone has the right to infect, but that our schools and local governments must be denied the right to take important steps to protect neighbors from infection.

— Lloyd Doggett (@RepLloydDoggett) July 29, 2021

What are Governor Abbott and Dan Patrick doing to get Texans vaccinated?

Everyday, they seem to be working overtime to thwart any effort to end this pandemic.

Texans are dying and our economy is suffering from the lack of vaccinations.

I just don’t get it. https://t.co/g5k7WquVoA

— Mike Collier (@CollierForTexas) July 29, 2021

Abbott already had taken away cities’ & counties’ ability to enact & enforce mask mandates

Now Abbott’s taken away the power to put restrictions on businesses, the other big tool he and local officials previously used to curb the spread of the virus

— Joshua Fechter 📝 (@JFreports) July 29, 2021

We’re going to do worse than nothing in TX. Cruz has already come out against masking and Abbott has done nothing helpful either as of late. They’re creating and fostering distrust. The distrust will lead to deaths 🙁

— Elizabeth – MS4 (@DrEToBe) July 29, 2021

“Texans have mastered the safe practices that help to prevent and avoid the spread of COVID-19”

YOU HAVE PROVEN YOU DONT KNOW SHIT ABOUT TEXANS.@GregAbbott_TX bm

Why the fuck do you think cases are increasing
CDC GUIDELINES – #s DECREASE
ABBOTT TRUMPER – #s INCREASE

— Raziel McAllen (@razielmcallen) July 29, 2021

Greg Abbott out there slicing sandbags before the storm.

— Richard Whittaker (@YorkshireTX) July 29, 2021

Abbott: As hospitalization and positivity rates skyrocket, we can see that Texans have mastered the safe practices that help to prevent the spread of COVID-19. Big lie 2.0.

— SB Jones (@sarahbjones) July 29, 2021

King Abbott has spoken- Texas… you’re on your own.

— genevieve (@genvc) July 29, 2021

After falsely blaming Speaker Nancy Pelosi for the newly-announced mask mandate on the House side of Congress, dozens of Republicans Thursday afternoon engaged in a performative protest, not against the coronavirus but against efforts to end the pandemic. What appeared to be 50 or so House GOP  lawmakers marched over to the Senate side of the Capitol Hill building for what one called a “taste of freedom.”

The Attending Physician of the United States Congress, following updated CDC guidance this week ordered anyone on the House side of the Capitol to wear a mask if in a group, regardless of vaccination status, but did not make the same order for the Senate side.

While Dr. Brian Monahan did not explain why the rules were different, at last cxount only about half of the Republicans on the House side have said they are vaccinated. Almost every Republican on the Senate side is. All Democrats on both sides are fully vaccinated. Dr. Monahan’s office announced fines and possible removal for repeat offenders.

Among those in the maskless pack making their way to the Senate side were Reps. Madison Cawthorn, Lauren Boebert, Louie Gohmert, Paul Gosar, Marjorie Taylor Greene, and Chip Roy.

Roll Call’s Chris Cioffi and The Hill’s Scott Wong posted video:

NOW: large maskless group of House GOP members has just crossed onto the Senate side and asked to enter the Senate Chamber. pic.twitter.com/gfmEAQMWbj

— Chris Cioffi (@ReporterCioffi) July 29, 2021

House Republicans are protesting the mask mandate by walking to the Senate, where masks are not mandated by Capitol physician pic.twitter.com/sFD6AVnbr3

— Scott Wong (@scottwongDC) July 29, 2021

GOP Massie: says the House GOP members are over here “for a taste of freedom.”

“You don’t have to wear a mask on the Senate side.”

Massie said they have the same attending physician, but he’s given different directives to each chamber.

Here’s video of them asking to enter. pic.twitter.com/A79S38d9UE

— Chris Cioffi (@ReporterCioffi) July 29, 2021

Right-wing Rep. Madison Cawthorn (R-NC) is asking for donations so that he can pay for the fines for Congressional members and their staff who refuse to wear a mask in the Capitol. But when clicking the link to donate, it takes you to his campaign page.

Typical members of Congress are paid $174,000 annually, so it’s unclear why they would need donations to cover their own rule-breaking. Staffers certainly make much less, however, Washington, D.C. has mandated face masks in public places again. So, they would be in violation of the Capitol rules as well as D.C. rules. It’s unclear if their Republican members would be willing to pay their fees themselves if the staffer follows their boss’s lead.

While the Capitol has instituted fines, the Capitol Police released a statement that seemed like a veiled threat to those anti-maskers refusing to follow the rules.

“Regarding the House mask rule, there is no reason it should ever come to someone being arrested. Anyone who does not follow the rule will be asked to wear a mask or leave the premises. The Department’s requirement for officers to wear masks is for their health and safety,” said the statement.

See Cawthorn’s fundraising tweet below:

Cawthorn’s fundraising to bail out Republicans congressional staffers who won’t wear masks in the Capitol.

Background: Speaker Pelosi reinstated masks mandates earlier this week and now the mayor of DC has also. https://t.co/TLbLPPOUZx

— Kadia Goba (@kadiagoba) July 29, 2021