Fort Dodge Public Library, 424 Central Ave., is holding Brown Bag Briefings from noon to 1 p.m. Thursdays during April. The briefings will be held in the large
kwingert@messengernews.net
Despite Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds’ decision to roll back some of the heightened safety precautions to slow the spread of COVID-19 this week, the mask regulation passed by the Webster County Board of Health in December will remain in effect until at least March 15.
The board held a special meeting on Thursday afternoon to discuss the future of the mask mandate regulation.
“We are still in the middle of the pandemic and masking is one effective strategy that definitely helps until we get herd immunity and get to a point where we can safely de-escalate slowly,” board chair Dr. Vinil Bhuma said..
edecious@messengernews.net
A mask mandate passed in a split vote Tuesday by Webster County Supervisors brought the county in line with a similar mandate passed by the City of Fort Dodge in November.
The regulation, first drafted and passed by the Webster County Board of Health Dec. 3, requires masks or face coverings to be worn at all times in most indoor public locations, regardless of how long one is inside or how close one is to others. Tightening the more permissive language of a November mask mandate issued by Gov. Kim Reynolds, it would also require use of masks outdoors when six feet of distance cannot be maintained from others.
edecious@messengernews.net
Following backlash from local business owners after passing a mask mandate that would subject them to penalties for noncompliance, the Webster County Board of Health amended the regulation Thursday, suspending civil penalties.
“They’re suspended to see how the public reacts and complies,” said Webster County Attorney Darren Driscoll, saying the Board of Health did not want to be too “heavy-handed” in their approach.
The mask regulation passed by the board on Dec. 3 would have added teeth to weaker rules at the state and city level with a civil penalty of up to $750 for the first offense and up to $1,000 for second or subsequent offenses. The regulation, which would apply to nearly all indoor and public areas, must still be cleared by Webster County Supervisors to go into effect.