No masks required in Decatur County

OBERLIN, Kan. -- The Decatur County Commissioners and Board of Health have issued a resolution stating that the wearing of face masks is not required in the county.

The action puts the county in line with a number of others that have exempted themselves or refuse to enforce Gov. Laura Kelly’s planned order requiring Kansas residents to wear masks to slow the spread of the coronavirus.

The Decatur County resolution, issued Tuesday, notes that Kansas law authorizes commissioners to issue public health orders that are less stringent than a statewide executive order, that the board has consulted with the local health officer and determined that face masks in public are not necessary to protect public health and safety, and that there have been no confirmed cases of coronavirus in Decatur County.

The order which Gov. Kelly was expected to issue today ahead of it taking effect Friday, was to make masks mandatory in stores, restaurants and in any situation where social distancing of 6 feet cannot be maintained, including outside.

Wyandotte County, in the Kansas City area, and Douglas County, home to the main University of Kansas campus, already require masks.

In Sedgwick County, which home to the state’s largest city, Wichita, County Commissioner Jim Howell said he has been inundated with emails since Kelly announced the mask requirement Monday.

“In our state we love our freedom,” Howell said. “In practice we can encourage and educate. And then we have to trust them to make the best decision for themselves and their family.”

Kansas has seen a spike in confirmed coronavirus cases since May 26, when Kelly lifted statewide restrictions on businesses and public gathering and left decisions to the state’s 105 counties. The Democratic governor had faced complaints for weeks from the Republican-controlled Legislature that she was too slow in reopening the state’s economy.

The state Department of Health and Environment reported 14,443 cases as of Monday, which was up by more than 3,000, or 26.5%, in the previous two weeks. Kansas also reported 270 COVID-19-related deaths, which was an increase of 25, or 10%, over the previous two weeks.

During those two weeks, reported cases tied to gatherings, such as groups in bars and restaurants, church events and family get-togethers, increased by 55%, up 110 to 311.

-- The Associated Press contributed to this report.