How can Kansas slow the spread of COVID? New KU study has answers. Will anyone listen?

Kansans won’t be legally obligated to wear masks statewide — yet — after a rare agreement this week between the governor and legislative leaders to merely encourage mask-wearing within holdout counties.

But with COVID-19 cases surging, especially in those counties without a mask mandate, isn’t there a moral mandate to wear them? And isn’t voluntary mask-wearing the best way to ward off a blanket mandate?

Truth is, it may also be the way to avoid serious talk of another economic shutdown, which few of us could stomach and none of us should want.

In addition, a new study by the University of Kansas clearly shows that masks work in slowing the spread of the disease.

“We found a 50% reduction in the spread of COVID-19 in counties that had a mask mandate compared to those without,” says Dr. Donna Ginther, director of the KU Institute for Policy & Social Research and co-author of the study.

Gov. Laura Kelly instituted a statewide mask mandate July 3 — yet under state law, counties could opt out, and more than 80 did. But since mid-July, Ginther’s study shows a significant climb in coronavirus cases in counties with no mandatory mask order. In counties with mandatory mask orders similar to the governor’s, cases largely plateaued.

The KU study takes into account a number of variables, making it a statistically relevant and nationally noticed piece of research. Ginther said the New York Times has taken note, and she’s been interviewed by MSNBC host Rachel Maddow.

COVID-19 cases are clearly spiking across the region. October has been the Kansas City area’s deadliest, with 176 coronavirus deaths. The state of Kansas’ seven-day rolling average for new cases was a record 1,084 a day for the week ending Wednesday.

The pandemic is, in short, still a wildfire sweeping across the Kansas plains. Why folks wouldn’t wear a mask in public — to protect others, if not themselves — is beyond the imagination.

Kelly was alarmed enough to seek a special session to institute a hard-and-fast mandate statewide. But with the election just days away, that was unlikely, and Republican sentiment against one-size-fits-all mandates is still high — despite that fact that sometimes, one size does fit all.

In the end, the Democratic governor and Republican legislative leaders at least agreed Tuesday to jointly urge local leaders in non-mandate counties across the state to encourage mask use. Again, it’s a scarce and welcome bit of harmony between the two branches of government.

“It’s how it should be,” House Speaker Ron Ryckman said of the productive dialogue with the governor. He said neither he nor his other GOP legislative colleagues are anti-mask, and the effort to encourage voluntary wearing will be wholehearted.

“We call on all Kansans to practice personal responsibility and compassion for their fellow Kansans by wearing a mask, practicing social distancing and proper hygiene,” Republican House leaders said in a statement.

That’s truly great to hear. But if residents across the state’s 105 counties don’t listen, that will only lead to further spread and to an increased need for a statewide mandate — or, worse, another shutdown.

Kelly warned at a press conference Wednesday that she won’t give the appeal for voluntary compliance very long to work.

“If we are unable to convince communities to voluntarily implement a mask mandate, I will move expeditiously to find another way to implement a statewide mask requirement,” Kelly said.

The way to avoid that is simple. Wear a mask by choice.