HOUSTON — The National Rifle Association has canceled its annual meeting and exhibits due to COVID-19 concerns. This year’s event was supposed to be held in Houston Sept. 3 to Sept. 5.

The NRA said the cancellation applies to all events and meetings that were scheduled in Houston, and will provide future notification regarding a rescheduled date for the annual Meeting of Members. 

“We make this difficult decision after analyzing relevant data regarding COVID-19 in Harris County, Texas. We also consulted with medical professionals, local officials, major sponsors & exhibitors, and many NRA members before arriving at this decision,” a statement from the NRA said. “We realize that it would prove difficult, if not impossible, to offer the full guest experience that our NRA members deserve.” 

This comes as COVID-19 cases and hospitalizations are rising across Texas.

In Harris County there are currently 50,525 active cases of COVID-19. The Texas Department of State Health Services Tuesday reported 15,516 news cases, including 5,189 probable cases and 199 deaths. Currently there are 13,666 COVID-19 hospitalizations in the state.

The NRA is still planning to hold its Celebration of Freedom in Louisville May 2022