KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Kansas City, Missouri, Mayor Quinton Lucas said Monday morning he won’t go to City Hall or engage in “other public activities” until he tests negative COVID-19 after he took a group picture Saturday without a mask and without social distancing at the Lake of the Ozarks.
Lucas will be back in the office Tuesday after his test result came back negative later in the day Monday, a spokeswoman confirmed.
Lucas decided to take the test as a precaution after a photo of him surrounded by seven women — none of whom were wearing masks — huddled together on a dock for a group picture began circulating over the weekend on social media.
@PeteMundo have you seen this? pic.twitter.com/zYKmXsCUGR
— Jeff Wayman (@PetsandPucks) July 20, 2020
Lucas said he was approached by the women after unwinding with a friend at the lake “in an area largely away from the public.”
He says the women were using the dock at the same time, spotted him and asked for a picture.
“Still with wet shorts and noting I didn’t have a mask on me since I was just out of the water and other dry masks were in the car, I told them I’d prefer not to,” Lucas said in a post on Facebook. “One woman asked again and, although not sensible, but out of politeness to what appeared to be a nice group of people with a rather routine request, I stood for a photo with them.”
He said the encounter lasted 30 seconds.
“I didn’t know any of the women who ventured my way to ask for a picture, but did recommend they wear masks as their night proceeded,” Lucas said. “I hope they took my advice.”
Lucas mandated that people in KCMO wear masks in public spaces beginning June 29 and extended that order indefinitely earlier this month.
None of the counties surrounding the Lake of the Ozarks has mask requirements in place, but Lucas understands that the optics don’t reflect well.
“Even if my intention in allowing them to take the photo was to be polite to a group of constituents who approached me on a dock, my politeness undermined our important public health message and I regret it,” Lucas said.
The mayor acknowledged that it’s impossible in his job to safeguard himself completely from constituents who want a handshake, a photo or a quick word and may not be wearing masks or social distancing.
Lucas said he’s mindful of health — and the optics of such encounters — as it relates to messaging the public receives.
“I almost always am able to prevent close contact both for the safety of myself and those around me, but also to make sure that we have a consistent public health message that reinforces the message that there are simple steps we can take to prevent the spread of COVID-19, like wearing masks and maintaining social distancing,” he said.
But in light of the photo emerging from over the weekend, Lucas, who said he tested negative for COVID-19 two weeks ago, promised to get tested again.
“I would encourage any others whose travel or activities may have exposed them to do the same for the safety of our community,” Lucas said.
Lucas isn’t the first Missouri politician to draw heat for not wearing a mask in public.
Missouri Gov. Mike Parson has preached the need for personal responsibility during the pandemic, but he has chosen not to wear a mask even when visiting hot spots for the surging spike in cases in Missouri, like Kansas City and southwest Missouri.
