Due to the dramatic increase the number of positive cases confirmed in Pettis County, the Health Center has issued a Mask Mandate.

Pettis County Health Center Administrator, JoAnn Martin says, Pettis County has been identified in the White House Coronavirus Task Force Report as a “Red County” and Missouri has been identified as a “Red” state. She says they have been working with no requirements since June 16 when all of the state requirements expired. Martin continued by saying that the Health Center has tried various strategies to get people to wear a mask since this is the one thing that is being pushed at the federal level on down. These strategies have not worked and that is why the mandate that was enacted Wednesday night has been put in place.

With this mandate, businesses in Pettis County are required to post a notice that masks are required to enter their facility. Martin said there is a procedure in place for enforcement of this mandate but law enforcement will not be issuing tickets or fines.

Martin said children under the age of five are excluded and there are provisions in the mandate that supports the fact that older children are not identified as capable of spreading the virus easily. According to studies conducted show that have counties that implemented mask mandates are not “Red” counties. Martin said data shows that those counties have seen a decline in the number of cases reported.

Click here to view the Public Health Emergency Rule issued by the Pettis County Health Center.