RE: Masks are Mandatory23 Nov 2020 14:25
Kansas counties that opted out of face mask order saw COVID-19 cases rise
We already know that wearing face masks in public spaces slows the spread of COVID-19. And now the coronavirus situation in Kansas is providing further proof.
Gov. Laura Kelly issued a face mask mandate in early July, and the counties that upheld the order saw a decline in cases, while the counties that opted out saw cases rise, according to a report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention on Friday.
"Countywide mask mandates appear to have contributed to the mitigation of COVID-19 transmission in mandated counties," according to the report, which analyzed county-level data one month before, and after, the governor's mandate went into effect.
As of mid-August, 24 of Kansas’s 105 counties had abided by the state mandate or adopted their own mask mandate, and 81 counties had opted out, as Kansas law allows. At that time, the number of new daily cases per capita – calculated as a 7-day rolling average – had decreased an average of 6% among counties with a mask mandate and increased by 100% in counties without a mandate. Read more.