IN THE COUNTY LEGISLATURE OF JACKSON COUNTY, MISSOURI
Title
A RESOLUTION extending the County’s current mask mandate order for the health and safety of its citizens until November 7, 2021.
Intro
RESOLUTION NO. 20781, October 4, 2021
INTRODUCED BY Jalen Anderson, Crystal Williams, Tony Miller, and Scott Burnett, County Legislators
Body
WHEREAS, Executive Order 21-07 issued by Governor Mike Parson, declaring a State of Emergency to Assist Continued COVID-19 Recovery, expired on August 31, 2021; and,
WHEREAS, on August 6, in response to the increased health risk posed to Jackson County citizens evidenced by the Report Supporting Order for Mask Wearing in Public Places provided by the Jackson County Health Department pursuant to section 67.625, RSMo, the County Executive, the Director of the Health Department, and the County’s Emergency Management Coordinator issued a renewed mask mandate (hereinafter “Renewed Public Health Order”) that will expire on October 7, 2021, a copy of which is attached hereto; and,
WHEREAS, the Renewed Public Health Order encourages vaccination and requires individuals five years of age and older to wear a face covering or mask in places of public accommodation; and,
WHEREAS, COVID-19 spreads among people who are in contact with one another or present in shared spaces and a gathering of individuals without necessary mitigation for the spread of infection will pose a risk of the spread of infectious disease; and
WHEREAS, the state of Missouri has continued to experience a sustained wave of new COVID-19 cases, fueled by low rates of full vaccination (currently 47.3% of residents), the spread of a more pervasive and virulent variant (Delta), and COVID-19 hot spots in Southeast Missouri (Region E); and,
WHEREAS, area hospitals serving the citizens of Jackson County are experiencing high levels of COVID-related admissions and associated staffing shortages, limiting the number of available ICU and non-ICU beds and forcing facilities to enter periods of diversion; and,
WHEREAS, as of September 28, 2021, the Jackson County Health Department reported 38,273 total cases of COVID-19 and 474 cases of COVID-19-related deaths in Eastern Jackson County (the area outside of Kansas City, Missouri, and Independence, Missouri); and,
WHEREAS, on September 24, 2021, the Jackson County Health Department reported approximately 47% of Eastern Jackson County residents were fully vaccinated for COVID-19 and that 53% have been administered at least one vaccine dose; and,
WHEREAS, on August 23, 2021, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration fully approved the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine for prevention of COVID-19 disease, with additional vaccine options still available under a prior emergency use authorization; and,
WHEREAS, compelling data demonstrates that community mask wearing is an effective nonpharmacologic intervention to reduce the spread of COVID-19 infection, especially as source control to prevent spread from infected persons, but also as protection to reduce wearers’ exposure to infection; and,
WHEREAS, on July 27, 2021, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control (CDC) issued new guidance, recommending all vaccinated individuals (in addition to its previous recommendation for unvaccinated individuals) in “substantial” or “high” transmission areas, with either more than fifty cases per 100,000 people in the area over a seven-day period, or with a COVID-19 test positivity rate higher than 5%, wear masks indoors; and,
WHEREAS, as of September 29, 2021, the CDC classifies Jackson County, and every county adjacent to Jackson County in both Missouri and Kansas as high transmission areas, with the exception of Platte County, which is classified as having substantial community transmission; and,
WHEREAS, medical professionals recommended a return to masks indoors in July 2021, based on the positivity rate for COVID-19 cases in Missouri and the increase in hospitalizations; and,
WHEREAS, on September 29, 2021, the Jackson County Health Department, pursuant to section 67.625, RSMo, submitted an updated report to the Legislature outlining the need for and recommending an extension of the mask mandate; now therefore,
BE IT RESOLVED by the County Legislature of Jackson County, Missouri, that the Renewed Public Health Order be and hereby is extended until November 7, 2021.
Enacted and Approved
Effective Date: This Resolution shall be effective immediately upon its passage by a majority of the Legislature.
APPROVED AS TO FORM:
________________________________ ________________________________
Chief Deputy County Counselor County Counselor
Certificate of Passage
I hereby certify that the attached resolution, Resolution No. 20781 of October 4, 2021, was duly passed on October 4, 2021 by the Jackson County Legislature. The votes thereon were as follows:
Yeas _______6__________ Nays _____2_________
Abstaining ______0_______ Absent ____1________
_________________ ________________________________
Date Mary Jo Spino, Clerk of Legislature