Could Johnson County allow mask mandate to end? Commissioners take up issue next week
Johnson County’s elected leaders will consider next week whether to get rid of the county’s mask mandate, which was put in place to help combat the COVID-19 pandemic.
The issue will go before the Board of County Commissioners at its meeting Thursday, when it reviews its current public health order. The order is set to expire the next day, April 30.
“As long as it is very clear to everyone that we have not achieved heard immunity and that we have a lot of work to do, and that wearing masks continue to be important, we’ll be supportive of moving to strongly recommend” the wearing of masks, Dr. Sanmi Areola, the director of the Johnson County Health Department, told commissioners at a meeting Thursday.
“But there’s a lot of variables here that we can’t fully predict and I think the prudent thing to do is for the board to be ready to take actions if and when they become necessary,” he said.
Johnson County Chairman Ed Eilert told commissioners that health officials’ recommendations would be distributed early next week. But it was his assessment that the recommendations would focus on eliminating the requirement for masks and distancing while emphasizing the importance of getting vaccinated.
“I think they want to take one last look at infections and the goals that we have set for the community and then we will have a draft out next week that will move from a mandate to a ‘strongly recommend’ for the community,” assistant county manager Joe Connor said Thursday.
Johnson County’s actions come as communities in the Kansas City area are looking at their response to the pandemic.
“We’ll be announcing next steps in our Covid-19 response on Monday,” said Morgan Said, spokeswoman for Kansas City Mayor Quinton Lucas.
Independence does not have a set date for expiration of its mask mandate. The city reviews its health orders every 15 days, with the next review coming Monday, said Meg Lewis, public information officer for the city.
Likewise, Jackson County will review its orders at the end of this month, said Maria Cox, communication specialist with the Jackson County Health Department.
The Clay County Public Health Center updated its emergency order with the update going into effect at 5 p.m. Friday.
Masks will continue to be required while indoors. Social distancing indoors is no longer required, but is a “strong recommendation.”
Johnson County commissioners approved the county’s current health order March 25. At the time, the county ended several COVID-19 restrictions but continued mandating mask-wearing and six feet of social distancing in public.
Bars and restaurants also had to keep tables separated by six feet. Businesses where social distancing is impossible, such as hair and nail salons, must serve customers by appointment only.
If Johnson County decides to end the requirement to wear masks, it will join other counties in Kansas that have ended or weakened mask orders in recent weeks, including Sedgwick and Shawnee counties.
Johnson County’s current order includes a goal of vaccinating about 50% of the county’s residents who are 16 and older with at least one dose before lifting the mask mandate.
Areola said he expected the county to reach that level by the end of April.
This story was originally published April 23, 2021 at 2:52 PM with the headline "Could Johnson County allow mask mandate to end? Commissioners take up issue next week."
