About 2,200 people attended the “Celebrate Freedom Rally” in Lone Star State, according to organizers of the rally, which has seen a sharp increase in coronavirus cases since restrictions were relaxed. The capacity of the venue for the indoor event was about 3,000 attendees, organizers say.
During the service, the choir members sang loudly, behind an orchestra. Between the songs, the choir members put their masks back on when they sat down, according to reports from the event group. The choir members had space between them, but it was unclear if they were the recommended six feet.
The facial masks at the event were “strongly encouraged”, with signs posted around the venue signaling the suggestion. According to reports from the event’s group, at least half of the crowd was wearing a face mask, an act that experts say can reduce Covid-19 transmission by as much as 50%.
The choir’s rehearsals and performances became a focal point early in the course of the coronavirus pandemic, with an outbreak within a 122-member choir in Washington state that became the subject of an in-depth report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. According to the report, 87% of the singers who attended the trial contracted the deadly virus.
When Pence arrived at the event, he was wearing a mask. Senator John Cornyn, R-Texas, and Secretary of Housing and Urban Development Ben Carson, who traveled with the Vice President, also wore masks. Pence said in an interview broadcast Sunday that people should listen to state and local officials about wearing masks in public, adding that “each state has a unique situation.” Pence took off his mask when he began to speak.
Texas has become a hot spot for coronavirus in recent weeks, forcing Republican Governor Greg Abbott to issue an executive order limiting certain businesses and services to prevent further spread of the community, a reversal of Texas’ early reopening plan. . Abbott acknowledged Friday that he allowed bars in the state to reopen too soon.
In his comments Sunday, Pence praised Abbott for his “courageous and compassionate leadership.”
“Working with its governor, we will prioritize the health of the people of the Lone Star state, and every day, we will continue to claim or release and our way of life, since every day we are one day closer to the day we put this past pandemic and when we do, with this governor and this president, we will make Texas and the United States bigger and better than ever, “Pence told the congregation.
Later in his speech, the vice president urged the crowd to “practice prayer in a renewed way.”
CNN’s Alison Main contributed to this report.
