Texas Makes Face Masks Compulsory in Reversal by Governor (2)

Texas Governor Greg Abbott ordered residents to wear face coverings in public amid a spike in Covid-19 cases across the second-most populous U.S. state.

In a reversal of his months-long opposition to such a mandate, Abbott on Thursday said the order applies to all counties with 20 or more virus cases. He also barred people from gathering outdoors in groups larger than 10. Texas reported its second-worst day of the pandemic with almost 8,000 new cases and a surge in hospital admissions.

Greg Abbott

Photographer: Alex Wong/Getty Images

The Republican governor has been under growing pressure from Democratic mayors and county leaders to crack down ...