KANSAS CITY, Mo. — The Johnson County Board of Commissioners voted Thursday morning to drop the county's mask requirement.
A resolution on the board's agenda proposed a change in the health guidelines from a mask requirement to a mask recommendation.
It passed in a vote of 5-1, with Commissioner Charlotte O'Hara as the only no vote.
Under the change, businesses can decide whether or not to require patrons and employees to wear masks.
The county's current public health order is set to expire on April 30. The new recommendation goes into effect at 12:01 a.m. on May 1.
Some officials believe the vaccination rate is high enough and COVID-19 case rates have declined enough to make the move.
Johnson County Department of Health and Environment Director Dr. Sanmi Areola told commissioners the county's COVID-19 trend line has been flat for a while and has been ticking up slightly but in people who are not vaccinated.
He made it clear that wearing masks and physical distancing is still critical to fighting the virus.
Commissioner O'Hara had issues with how the recommendations would impact businesses and schools.
The county's legal expert said that they would be allowed to choose and the health department could not enforce any requirements for them or shut anyone down for an outbreak in cases.
Many people turned up in-person or virtually for public comment, and only one was in support of continuing to require masking.
“Please listen to science. Please, that’s all I’m asking," Cassie Woolworth said to the board.
She said she believes that removing a mask requirement will remove the incentive for anyone to get vaccinated.
Several of the residents who spoke in favor of removing the mask requirement emphasized they believe in vaccination and have been vaccinated themselves.
Resident Charles Maddock expressed that he is vaccinated and should not have to wear a mask to protect those who choose not to get vaccinated.
Andrew Cross, another speaker, asked why residents should have to wear a mask if the vaccine is working.
Some of the public comments were both against requiring masks and recommending vaccinations.
“There is no emergency. There has never been an emergency," resident Daniel Austin said.
He claimed "forcing a medical experiment on" residents - referencing the vaccine - is unconstitutional and went on to say that the county is only declaring a public health emergency to get money and that he would report their fraud to the FBI as a felony crime.
But starting May 1, those who do not want to wear a mask will not have to unless the public space they are visiting requires it, but the county is still encouraging vaccination.
The new recommendations are as follows:
1. Eligible individuals be vaccinated against COVID-19;
2. Individuals wear masks or face coverings within indoor public spaces;
3. Businesses and organizations strongly encourage or require customers, visitors, employees, and other invitees to wear masks or face coverings in indoor public spaces;
4. Individuals within a public space maintain 6 feet of physical distancing from other individuals, unless such individuals reside together or are known to each other;
5. Businesses and organizations strongly encourage or require customers, visitors, employees, and other invitees to maintain 6 feet of physical distancing from other individuals in public spaces, unless such individuals reside together or are known to each other;
6. Businesses and organizations adopt and apply additional mitigation strategies and practices to reduce the spread of COVID-19 that are appropriate for and take into consideration their respective operations and activities; and
7. Individuals, businesses, and organizations follow the current and continuing guidance and recommendations of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (“CDC”), the Kansas Department of Health and Environment (“KDHE”), the Johnson County Department of Health and Environment (“JCDHE”), and the Johnson County Local Health Officer to reduce the spread of COVID-19.
