Well, as it turns out, the moment he did, people got stupid—as people will—so he had to take actions. He has been blamed for what is due to undisciplined people...there are a LOT of those... and [I believe] some who have an agenda to make Texas look bad.
I don’t think anything happened except more testing is identifying more cases. I know people who didn’t even take a test but got a letter saying they were found COVID positive. In the meantime, my favorite Sunday afternoon watering hole has been sold by the owner because the shutdowns broke him. How many previously successful Texas businesses do you think that has happened to? Texans are not world renowned for being “disciplined”, the Prussians were and I am glad we are not them. To hell with Abbott and his damned shutdown. I think he should look to South Dakota and learn some governor lessons.