November 1, 2021

KANSAS CITY, Mo. – Jackson County Executive Frank White, Jr. has issued the following statement regarding today’s Legislature vote to extend the County’s mask mandate until November 22, 2021:

“Over the past several weeks we have made significant progress in reducing the spread of coronavirus by wearing masks. However, we have not yet reached the CDC threshold that would no longer categorize our community as a high or substantial area of virus transmission. Thanks to the community’s continued sacrifice and resilience, we are very close to where we need to be. But until then, it is important for everyone to keep wearing their masks in public indoor places to provide the most protection for our children, who will soon have the opportunity to get vaccinated.

“From the beginning, I have said I will trust and follow the science, as well as the CDC and health officials’ recommendations to determine how we move forward safely. These decisions have never been easy for me or the County Legislature and today, a majority of the members did what they believe is in the best interest of our community’s well-being. We will continue to analyze the data and provide the Legislature with all information necessary to ensure we can make informed, life-saving decisions together.”