<p><img src="https://static5.businessinsider.com/image/5ec4f4f219182428b75b7538-1800/gettyimages-1213325286.jpg" border="0" alt="greg abbott coronavirus" data-mce-source="Tom Pennington/Getty Images" data-mce-caption="Texas Governor Greg Abbott displays COVID-19 test collection vials as he addresses the media during a press conference held at Arlington Emergency Management on March 18, 2020 in Arlington, Texas."></p><p></p><bi-shortcode id="summary-shortcode" data-type="summary-shortcode" class="mceNonEditable" contenteditable="false">Summary List Placement</bi-shortcode><p>Major US companies in Texas said Tuesday their employees would continue to wear masks to protect themselves and others against COVID-19, despite the state lifting a mask mandate and other restrictions.</p><p>Texas Gov. Greg Abbott <a href="https://open.texas.gov/uploads/files/organization/opentexas/EO-GA-34-opening-Texas-response-to-COVID-disaster-IMAGE-03-02-2021.pdf" data-analytics-module="body_link" data-analytics-post-depth="20" data-uri="aa47551258602785309adb9233dde854">issued an executive order on Tuesday</a> to allow the state's <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/texas-gov-abbott-opening-state-lifting-covid-19-mask-mandate-2021-3">businesses to open "100%" and to end the state's mask mandate</a>, effective March 10. This was despite federal health officials warning against relaxing restrictions.</p><p>Some firms are sticking to their current rules.</p><p>Japanese carmaker <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/toyota-prius-2020-edition-review-still-a-hybrid-masterpiece-2020-12">Toyota</a>, which has its US headquarters in Plano and a factory in San Antonio, said it was looking into Abbott's order, but wasn't making any immediate changes. The company employs more than 7,000 people in Texas.</p><p>"The early read isno change for us," Toyota spokesman Scott Vazin told <a href="https://www.reuters.com/article/us-health-coronavirus-usa-texas/staff-at-some-major-u-s-firms-to-keep-masks-on-in-texas-even-as-state-lifts-mandate-idUSKCN2AU2QM">Reuters</a> Tuesday.</p><p>Similarly, <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/gm-aims-to-end-sale-of-gasoline-diesel-powered-cars-suvs-light-trucks-by-2035-2021-1">General Motors</a> said it would ensure its Texas employees wear masks in the workplace. The firm has around 13,500 workers in the state.</p><p>"We'll keep our COVID-19 safety protocols in place to ensure we continue to protect our employees," GM spokesman Patrick Morrissey told Reuters.</p><p>Retail store <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/target-earnings-results-beat-analyst-estimates-sales-holiday-season-2021-3">Target</a> would still require customers and employees to wear masks in all of its US stores, a company spokesperson told Reuters. The US firm said it would provide its staff with reusable and disposable masks.</p><p>Department-store chain <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/macys-to-close-45-stores-in-2021-2021-1">Macy's</a> echoed Target's comments. It was not changing its policy of requiring customers and workers to wear masks, it said.</p><p>Mississippi's governor, Tate Reeves, also announced on Tuesday that his state would fully reopen. Insider has reached out to Toyota to ask whether the company is keeping its rules in its factory in the state.</p><p>The governors of <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/iowa-gov-lifts-health-restrictions-despite-new-coronavirus-variant-2021-2">Iowa</a> and <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/cdc-mask-mandates-iowa-montana-face-masks-compulsory-rochelle-walensky-2021-2">Montana</a> lifted compulsory mask-wearing in public on February 5 and 15 respectively. <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/experts-say-too-soon-to-lift-mask-mandates-variants-spread-2021-2">North Dakota's mask mandate</a> expired in January.</p><p>Abbott's announcement came one day after Dr. Rochelle Walensky, the director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), said <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/cdc-warns-4th-surge-of-virus-cases-despite-vaccines-2021-3">Americans should stick to public-health recommendations</a> to prevent a fourth surge in COVID-19 cases.</p><p>"Now is not the time to relax the critical safeguards that we know can stop the spread of COVID-19 in our communities, not when we are so close," she said at a <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch'v=hZAHzpV9w9o" data-analytics-module="body_link" data-analytics-post-depth="40" data-uri="5280d859bf2fe8bd221d2159f8192563">White House press briefing</a> on Monday.</p><p><strong>SEE ALSO: <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/texas-gov-abbott-opening-state-lifting-covid-19-mask-mandate-2021-3" >Texas Gov. Abbott says he's opening the state '100%' and lifting the mask mandate a day after the CDC warned states not to relax COVID-19 restrictions</a></strong></p><p><strong>SEE ALSO: <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/winter-snow-storm-blackout-texas-damages-could-near-50-billion-2021-2" >Damages tied to the 'life-threatening crisis' caused by the winter storm in Texas could approach $50 billion</a></strong></p><p><strong>SEE ALSO: <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/insider-energy-texas-blackouts-bill-gates-dishes-on-climate-energy-2021-2" >The devastating Texas blackouts explained in 3 levels of detail</a></strong></p><p><strong>SEE ALSO: <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/texas-blackouts-millions-lost-power-in-storm-went-wrong-2021-2" >Texas blackouts explained: Arctic weather shut down power plants as demand for heat surged, and the state's grid is on its own</a></strong></p><p><a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/texas-mask-mandate-covid-staff-wear-masks-toyota-target-abbott-2021-3#comments">Join the conversation about this story »</a></p> <p>NOW WATCH: <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/electric-planes-future-of-aviation-problems-regulations-2020-3">Why electric planes haven't taken off yet</a></p>
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