It’s ingrained in the Texas culture. I have tons of friends in Dallas and only a handful put on a mask. They won’t be told what to do in a situation where the death toll is low.
Contrast that with what I go through. If I enter a client’s building, I need to have 3 layers of legal/HR approval to ensure my safety. A temperature check must be completed prior to entering the building. We need a certification that the room/building has been sanitized 24 hrs prior. If I bring staff/workers, my client must reduce their workforce by the amount of people I bring. Depending on the state, I may be limited to no more than 10 people gathering. Masks, gloves, hand sanitizer and wipes must be provided by my client. If we travel by car, we can’t ride with someone we don’t live with. Up until recently, I was barred from getting in a plane or staying in a hotel for work purposes. (I will have to self-quarantine coming back from Dallas next month, per Cuomo’s recent order) Forget entering a 7-11 without a mask much less a grocery store. I have a washable mask in my car, computer bag and my pocket because I’m tired of forgetting it when I go out. It’s become a way of life for people up here, which is why we were able to flatten the curve so effectively. I haven’t been in the LIRR or subway in months, so we’ll see how that goes. Our office is reopening mid-July on a limited basis.
That level of change and sacrifice won’t fly in Texas. Maybe the rock will be chipped away a bit with the spike, but I think it would have to get REAL bad for that to occur.