Two counties in Kansas City metro area buck trend to mandate masks
At least two counties will not follow the lead of Kansas City Mayor Quinton Lucas and other metro leaders in mandating face masks to reduce the spread of coronavirus amid increasing cases.
Parts of Clay County and Platte County inside the Kansas City limits will have to abide by the city’s mask mandate, and North Kansas City has its own municipal face covering requirement. But areas in the two counties outside those jurisdictions won’t require face coverings.
Clay County businesses can remain open at 50% capacity without requiring face masks but with social distancing measures in place. However, the county announced that starting Sunday, businesses can open at 100% capacity if they require employees and visitors to wear face coverings “in an area or while performing any activity which will necessarily involve close contact or proximity to co-workers or the public while physical distancing standards continue to be applied.”
Businesses that can’t guarantee at least 6 feet of social distance must also require face masks, according to the order.
North Kansas City, which is in Clay County, enacted its mask mandate Thursday for anyone in indoor public spaces, including grocery stores and public transit.
Other areas like pools and taverns must continue to operate at half capacity, large gatherings will be capped at 250 people and long-term care facilities are advised to limit visitors.
As of Tuesday, Platte County allowed businesses to reopen with social distancing requirements in place. The county will not require masks to be worn in public spaces, but the Platte County Health Department Board of Trustees is “strongly encouraging” residents to wear face coverings in public.
The counties are against the trend. Leaders in Jackson, Johnson and Wyandotte counties passed mask orders this week as coronavirus cases increased across the Kansas City metro area with restaurants and other businesses reopening. In Kansas, Gov. Laura Kelly passed an executive order Thursday requiring that masks be worn in public spaces. Missouri Gov. Mike Parson has said he will not issue a statewide mandate.
This story was originally published July 2, 2020 at 6:14 PM.