KANSAS CITY, Mo. — The Wyandotte County Commission voted to end the county's mask mandate Thursday.
The vote was 6-4 and the mandate ends Thursday night.
It had been previously set to expire on Jan. 6.
Commissioners and Mayor Tyrone Garner heard from the county's health department that COVID-19 cases have more than doubled since the mask mandate was extended a month ago.
Members of the county's health department urged the commissioners not to get rid of the mask mandate.
Using informational slides, the doctors showed commissioners the county lags behind other metro counties in numbers of people vaccinated.
Just over 56 percent of Wyandotte County residents have gotten one vaccine dose.
Those fully vaccinated make up only 47.4 percent of the county's population.
Commissioners questioned why the mandate was needed when surrounding counties mandates are much less strict. Others said businesses in the county are being hurt by the mandates.
Health officials at the meeting warned that hospitals are straining to provide care as cases surge again. They also pointed out the holiday season means more people in close contact and that could lead to more cases.
