Mask order extended in Kansas City, Missouri

Mayor Quinton Lucas announced Friday that wearing of masks in public will be made mandatory “indefinitely” or until the expiration of the state of emergency order in August.

New case numbers creeping upward once again, Kansas City Mayor Quinton Lucas made an official announcement Friday morning that the city’s standing mask policy, originally set to expire this weekend, has been extended.

First issued by Lucas on June 27, the increase in new cases throughout the state prompted the city the to make the announcement, the Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services showing Thursday that Kansas City, Mo. had 2,957 confirmed cases of COVID-19 with 31 deaths.

Under the order, all employees or visitors to any public place must wear face coverings in an area or while performing an activity which involves close contact of under six feet.

The mask order has now been set to run with the state of emergency in place, set to expire on Aug. 15. However, if it is extended, the city’s mask mandate will be extended alongside it, Morgan Said, a spokesperson for Lucas said.

“It’s important for you to make sure people are wearing masks,” Lucas said at a Friday morning news conference outside City Hall.

The mayor also announced $1.5 million in aid from Clay County to support small businesses, as bars and taverns in the metro are limited to 50% capacity.