Science vs. Politics

“Just like Ebola, [COVID-19] is not the fault of anyone. This is a relentless virus looking for hosts. And if we don’t follow science, then it’s all our fault.”

ALLAS COUNTY JUDGE CLAY JENKINS WAS THE FIRST Texas official to declare a stay-at-home order for COVID-19 in March—more than a week before Governor Greg Abbott issued a similar statewide measure. This isn’t the first time Jenkins has navigated a major public health threat. In 2014, the Democrat gained national attention for managing the state’s Ebola response when three cases were diagnosed in Dallas. But the COVID-19 pandemic has posed an unprecedented threat, in a very different political environment. Abbott has forged ahead with a plan to reopen Texas businesses, against the advice of many health experts. Jenkins,