Mask resistance softens in Kansas as cases surge

Resistance to masks appears to be weakening in Kansas as the coronavirus surges, straining the capacity of the state’s hospitals.

Gov. Laura Kelly’s latest effort to require face coverings takes effect Wednesday, although Kansas law still allows the state’s 105 counties to opt-out. Most counties did so the first time Kelly tried to require masks in July.

But with the average new case numbers more than nine times higher now than they were then, there appears to be less pushback.

It appears that Cherokee County will be enforcing it.

County commissioner Cory Moates made a motion to opt-out but commissioners Myra Frazier and Neal Anderson took action to allow the mandate to move forward.

There are some exceptions including children under the age of five and people who are eating and drinking at a restaurant.

Cherokee County was one of the counties that opted out of the first mandate Governor Laura Kelly implemented.

As of Monday, 46% of hospitals across Kansas reported that they anticipated staffing shortages this week, according to data reported by the Kansas Hospital Association. The numbers were even worse in south-central Kansas, where 57% anticipated shortages.