Greg Abbott, the governor of Texas, has signed an executive order prohibiting the state from requiring mandatory vaccinations

Governor Greg Abbott of Texas has issued an executive order prohibiting all organisations, including private businesses, from enforcing vaccination requirements in the state.

Mr. Abbott, a Republican, has been one of the most outspoken opponents of making coronavirus vaccines mandatory in the United States. He has previously issued such directives, but this is the first time he has included private employers and their consumers. The governor has called on state legislators to enact a ban. This will place him against Democrat President Joe Biden, who last month called on businesses to make required vaccines for their employees.

The obligation to wear masks in the state was repealed earlier this year by the governor. In August, he signed an executive order prohibiting obligatory vaccinations for government employees, including those who work in public schools and institutions.

Multiple challenges to the lifting of the facemask requirement have been filed in Texas courts. Mr. Abbott tested positive for coronavirus in August, following a spike in hospital admissions across the state. He attributed his speedy recovery to the fact that he was completely vaccinated.

Many large corporations with a presence in Texas have also been criticised as a result of the situation. Employees at Facebook and Google, which employ a huge number of people in the state, have also been advised that proof of vaccination is required before returning to work.

In the United States, the debate over mandated vaccinations has polarised opinions. Critics argue they’re unconstitutional, but supporters say they’re necessary to combat a nationwide outbreak that’s claimed the lives of over 700,000 people.

In May, the Republican governor of Florida outlawed all vaccine passports in private firms, and Republican lawmakers in Montana outlawed “discrimination” in the workplace based on vaccination status. Meanwhile, California became the first US state to mandate all students to be Covid-vaccinated in order to attend in-person classes earlier this month. The state has one of the highest immunisation rates in the country, and all medical staff are required to get vaccinated.