Analysis: Coronavirus and local control in Texas/Texas Tribune

Without broader statewide orders for Texans to stay at home, local officials — and local circumstances — have made the state a patchwork of responses to the new coronavirus.

By Ross Ramsey

Only three COVID-19 cases have been confirmed in the 22 counties in state Rep. Drew Springer’s North Texas House district, and he said Thursday that a lot of people “are just coming to the realization about why we need social distancing.”

“There were more people on the road in Gainesville and Muenster yesterday than in New York City,” he said.

“My constituents would have argued [earlier] that we’re drastically overreacting,” Springer said. “I think as they have started hearing more, they’re coming around. … I’m waiting to see whether the cases here, and the names of people who get sick, will change people’s opinions.”  Read more…