By BRENT MARTIN
St. Joseph Post
A mask mandate has been lifted in St. Joseph, though masks might still be required in many establishments in the city.
The St. Joseph City Council voted to end the mandate prior to it expiring April 15th. Mayor Bill McMurray complied and lifted the mandate.
St. Joseph Chamber of Commerce President Patt Lilly expects many businesses to retain their requirement that customers wear masks.
“Many businesses will be, I think, pleased the fact that now it becomes a personal decision if you will not only on the part of the individual, but as you pointed out, the businesses as well,” Lilly tells host Barry Birr on the KFEQ Hotline.
Lilly says he supported allowing the city mask mandate contained in the mayor’s emergency declaration to run its course, but now that it has been scrapped, it’s up to residents to keep safety measures in mind.
“Still encourage people to practice health safety if you will and do those things that perhaps are necessary to make sure that we don’t find ourselves in a situation where we’re going to have to return to the masks, God forbid,” Lilly says.
Lilly says some St. Joseph businesses are pleased the mask mandate has been lifted, others favored the mandate which put the city authority behind requirements to wear masks.
The city council took the step despite a plea from Mosaic Life Care to allow the emergency declaration to continue as planned until the middle of next month.
Mosaic has reported a big decline in COVID-19 patients within its system and especially at the St. Joseph hospital. Supporter of ending the mask mandate pointed to those numbers of justify their support.
Mosaic’s Pat Dillon tells council members though Mosaic coronavirus hospitalization numbers are down, Mosaic favored keeping the mask mandate in place until its original April 15th expiration date.
“And you’re right, we’re not overwhelmed right now, thank goodness,” Dillon tells council members. “We were at one time. It was very difficult. I do think the masks have worked. I think the social distancing has worked and I think something that we’ve all encouraged the community to do for many years, the washing of hands, has worked and made a dramatic difference not only in COVID but also in our flu cases this year.”
Mosaic reports three COVID-19 patients being treated in its system; all in St. Joseph.
The city council voted 5-to-4 to end the mask mandate. Mayor McMurray could have forced those who favored ending the mask mandate to muster a two-thirds vote, but decided to signed the order ending the emergency declaration anyway.