COVID-19 surge means Kansas City to mandate masks. What about your part of the metro?
As Kansas City prepares its return to mandatory masks in response to the COVID-19 delta variant’s sweep through the region, other area local governments are also weighing options.
Kansas City’s new mandate will take effect Monday. The move was announced by Kansas City Mayor Quinton Lucas following updated guidance from the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention that says everyone — including those who have been fully vaccinated — should wear masks indoors in areas where the risk of transmission is high or substantial.
All of Kansas City’s metropolitan area is considered high risk for transmission along with nearly all of Missouri and much of eastern Kansas, according to the CDC. Cases in the Kansas City area have also been on the rise, breaching 600 for a single day this week for the first time since January.
Similar to last year, when pandemic restrictions first rolled out before vaccines were widely available, other area governments are now considering mask and social distancing mandates that could follow with Kansas City’s.
Here’s a list of what local governments in the metro are up to:
North Kansas City: North Kansas City Mayor Bryant DeLong announced on Twitter Wednesday morning that he intends to issue a new mask order for North Kansas City.
In his statement, DeLong said there is “no doubt that COVID-19 is yet again posing a significant health risk to our region and community.” He added that the consideration of new rules is based on the CDC’s new guidance.
Jackson County: Jackson County Executive Frank White said Wednesday that he and the health department are asking that everyone follow the CDC’s latest recommendation. He also said a new Missouri law limiting the authority of local governments to impose mask mandates must be taken into account.
“I will work with my colleagues on the Jackson County Legislature to determine the best path forward for Jackson County and will continue to work with our regional partners in hopes of aligning our orders to reduce confusion and increase the impact of our actions,” White said in a statement.
Johnson County: The Johnson County Board of Commissioners is expected to vote next week on whether to issue a new countywide mask mandate, although Chairman Ed Eilert made clear Thursday he is reluctant to do so.
Independence: Independence will require masks to be worn in all city facilities including City Hall, Police Headquarters, Independence Utility Center, Sermon Center, Truman Memorial Building, Palmer Center, Independence Uptown Market, and the Cable Dahmer Arena, starting on July 29.
Additionally, there will be expanded access to Independence Health Department vaccine clinics across the City with options five days a week, beginning on Aug. 2.
Independence has its own health department that operates outside of the purview of Jackson County.
Wyandotte County: A spokeswoman for the Unified Government said Wednesday that health officials will meet with Wyandotte County leaders in a special session Thursday evening to discuss COVID-19 and any health order recommendations.
The Star’s Bob Cronkleton, Cortlynn Stark and Angela Cordoba Perez contributed reporting.
