COVID-19 news: KU vaccine incentive, mask mandates, candidate flips script on masks
Here’s the latest on COVID-19 in the Kansas City area:
Mask mandates: Prairie Village, Independence
City leaders in Prairie Village and Independence took opposite routes Monday night concerning mask mandates supported by public health experts to help stem the tide of new coronavirus cases.
In Independence, the city council rejected a proposed order that was endorsed by the city’s own public health advisory board and would have required masks for most people visiting public spaces. Prairie Village created a new citywide mask mandate for most residents over age 5.
Prairie Village created its new mask mandate with a unique caveat: Instead of wearing a mask, businesses may require customers to provide proof of COVID-19 vaccination.
KU vaccine incentive
The University of Kansas is offering an incentive for students who get the vaccine.
Prizes offered range from gift cards to a semester of free tuition. This comes as Douglas County, where the main campus is located, is seeing on average of 33 new cases per day.
Other universities have created similar programs to encourage vaccination among college students. The University of Missouri system, Kansas State University and Pittsburg State University have all put programs in place.
School board candidate flips script on masks
Dr. Christine White, a Johnson County pediatrician running for Blue Valley school board, has taken a new stance on masks after she campaigned against mandates in schools.
“My views on masks have changed,” she said in a recent Facebook post. “I want kids to be able to attend school IN PERSON. If wearing a mask prevents spread of infection or a child from having to quarantine and miss 8 to 10 days of learning, then I support children wearing masks in school.”
White’s announcement of her new stance came the day after The Star published a report about her securing a mask exemption for one of her school-age children, as well as an editorial on her school board candidacy.
The Star’s Bill Lukitsch, Lisa Gutierrez, Katie Bernard and Sarah Ritter contributed to this report.
