As KCMO leaders approve COVID-19 funding, mayor weighs mask requirement

KCMO funds COVID-19 response, mayor weighs requiring masks

THE COVID-19 NUMBERSARE CLIMBING.KANSAS CITY REPORTEDMORE THAN 8-HUNDREDNEW CORONAVIRUS CASESLAST WEEK.THAT'S THE PURPLE LINEON THIS GRAPH.YOU CAN SEE -- WE'REMORE THAN HALFWAYBACK TO PEAK NUMBERSFROM MAY.AND THOSE NUMBERSHAVE LEADERS WANTINGEVERYONE TO TAKEMORE PRECAUTIONS.41 ACTION NEWSREPORTER ANDRESGUTIERREZ SHOWS US...THAT COULD MEANREQUIRING FACE MASKS.Lucas, aye, 13 ayeTHERE IS NOW 1.5 MILLIONDOLLARS IN KANSAS CITYMISSOURI SET ASIDESPECIFICALLY FOR moreCOVID-19 TESTING ANDCONTACT TRACERS.MONEY THAT COULDN'TCOME SOON ENOUGH.Melissa Robinson/KCMOCouncilmember, Third DistrictBecause we're so far behindthis is something we should'vebeen doing in April and nowit's here in June and we havea spikeAS OF THURSDAY, MORETHAN 18-HUNDRED PEOPLEHAVE TESTED POSITIVEWITHIN CITY LIMITS.THIS IS AS THE CURRENTREOPENING PHASEEXPIRES IN 10 DAYS.Dr. Rex Archer/Director ofHealth forthe City of Kansas City,Missouriwe want businesses to beable to stay open and continueto be open and be viablebecause people that areunemployed and get evictedthat's a health hazard peoplethat can't feed their familiesthat's a health hazardK-C-M-O HEALTHDIRECTOR DR. REXARCHER RECOMMENDSTHE CITY MAKE ITMANDATORY FOR PEOPLETO WEAR A FACE MASKWHENEVER THEY'REINSIDE A BUILDING.Dr. Rex Archer/Director ofHealth forthe City of Kansas City,MissouriIt's the right thing to do toprotect our high-risk folks fromending up in the hospital andit's the least we can do to takecare of each otherMAYOR QUINTON LUCAS ISCONSIDERING IT BUTSUGGESTS:Mayor Quinton Lucas/Kansas City,Missouri/That all counties look into itand not just kind of saying wellyou know we suggest you do itTHOUGH IN JEFFERSONCITY THEGOVERNOR--TAKING AHANDS-OFF APPROACH.Governor Mike Parson/-Missouri/If cities want to do that andthey want to require that othercitizens who live there wellthat's why they have electionsin those areas if people don'tlike it, they can change it ifthey like it, they keep thesame people in placeIF MASKS DO BECOMEREQUIRED...ENFORCEMENT WOULD BESIMILAR TO WHEN THESTRICT STAY-AT-HOMEORDER WERE IN PLACE......AN EDUCATIONAL-APPROACH FORINDIVIDUALS...Dr. Rex Archer/Director ofHealth forthe City of Kansas City,Missouri/for businesses though we cantake a stronger approach andso we can have like we havewith other businesses whenwe get complaints, we contactthe business we asked themto do things differentlyMAYOR LUCAS ISEXPECTED TO ANNOUNCEWHAT THE CITY'S STEPSARE REGARDING IT