Texas Governor Tests Negative For COVID-19 After State Drops Mask Mandate Ban

Texas Gov. Greg Abbott on Saturday announced he tested negative for COVID-19, four days after he tested positive for the virus amid an increase in cases fueled by the more transmissible Delta variant.

Abbott, a Republican, posted a video to his Twitter account revealing he tested negative for the virus.

“​​I am now testing negative for Covid. I am told that my infection was brief & mild because of the vaccination I received. I will continue to quarantine as recommended by doctors. And, I will keep working on issues affecting Texas,” he tweeted.

Abbott also revealed his wife Cecilia has also tested negative. He advised others to also get the vaccine.

“So I encourage others who have not received the vaccination to consider getting one,” he said in the video.

Mark Mine, Abbott’s communication director, revealed last week that Abbott was quarantining at the Governor’s Mansion in Austin and taking the antibody treatment from biotech company Regeneron amid his positive diagnosis.

“Governor Abbott is fully vaccinated against COVID-19, in good health, and currently experiencing no symptoms,” Miner said in a statement at the time. “Everyone that the governor has been in close contact with today has been notified.”

Abbott’s negative test comes after the Texas Education Agency revealed the enforcement of the governor’s mask mandate ban across the state’s schools had been dropped.

On Thursday, the agency released a public health guidance letter in which they announced the new guidance amid ongoing court battles surrounding the ban.

The new guidelines will leave it up to local public health officials to make the final decision regarding COVID-19 rules in the public school systems until litigation has been settled.

The state will also now require school districts to notify families, teachers, and staff members if someone tests positive for COVID-19, whether it is in a classroom or an extracurricular activity.