Eudora resident Dick Powers (left) comments on mask mandate expiration to the Douglas County commissioners.
The mask mandate in Douglas County is now expired after county commissioners took no further action to continue it during Wednesday’s meeting.
Thursday morning, Eudora Schools posted on its website that the expiration of the county mask order and CDC guidance means masks will no longer be required in school facilities or while riding district-provided transportation.
Anyone who wishes to wear a mask in Eudora schools may still do so. Staff will not resume testing close contacts, the school announcement said.
“This is certainly a step in a positive direction. Thank you for your continued support,” the announcement said.
During the County Commission meeting, commissioners heard from residents who claimed to be frequent protesters of the mask enforcement and said the recent decisions are a joke.
Eudora Elementary School teacher Dick Powers attended the meeting via Zoom and expressed his concern for the expiration of the mandate.
“I, for one, am disheartened that it’s being allowed to expire. I don’t think it’s quite time yet. I’d like to keep our foot on the gas because the numbers are dropping, the mandate is probably the major cause of that,” Powers said.
The county commissioners are looking into what health procedures will be needed next moving forward as Douglas County is still ranked code yellow.
On Wednesday, the county reported 570 active cases and six patients at LMH Health. The positivity rate was 1.9%.
Reach reporter William Crow at [email protected].
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