Platte County will join the Kansas City metro area communities operating under a mandatory mask requirement later this week.
At a special meeting of the board of trustees on Wednesday, July 8, the health department board voted to move to a mandatory face covering requirement in Platte County, effective Thursday, July 16.
According to a statement released by the health department, this decision was made as a result of a dramatic increase in the weekly COVID-19 case count as well as an increasing positive test rate, which has nearly tripled to over 14 percent (7-day moving average) since June 24.
This increase is not due to an increased availability of tests in Platte County, according to the health department.
Additionally, the health department is no longer capable of testing asymptomatic individuals due to the high volume of testing requests.
As of press time, the Platte County confirmed case count on Tuesday, July 14 is 321 positives, cumulatively. Of those, 142 cases are within Kansas City limits and 179 are outside of KC. In Platte County, six deaths have been reported and 22 patients hospitalized. Nearly 3,100 residents have been tested.
The health department issued a notice late last week to allow organizations and businesses in the community time to make plans to meet these requirements.
Starting Thursday, businesses will be asked to post a sign on their doors stating that “Masks must be continuously worn to enter and remain at these premises by order of the Platte County Health Department”
A list of exceptions to the mandatory masking is outlined in the order, available in full at plattecountyhealthdept.com and below, to include those suffering from certain medical conditions, ages of children required to wear masks and an exception while eating and drinking at food establishments.
“With the increase in COVID19 cases on the rise, we are urging everyone to do their part to minimize the spread of the virus by the simple, research proven measures of physical distancing, wearing a mask and hand hygiene,” said health department director Mary Jo Vernon. “We want to encourage everyone to support our businesses by providing other patrons the assurance that they are as safe as possible while shopping. During this health crisis, it takes all of us making a commitment to fight this virus.”
Health department officials acknowledge that they know the mask mandate will “make some folks very happy and others not so much.”
The move was sparked, in part, due to feedback from citizens stating they would not shop in Platte County without a mask mandate.