Reno County to let mass gathering restriction expire
Reno County health officials announced plans to allow a mass gathering limit in Reno County to expire next week.
The order from interim Reno County Health Officer Karen Hammersmith limiting gathering sizes to 10 people has been in place for 95 days. First adopted Nov. 18, it was extended twice.
Before that, a limit to mass gatherings of no more than 100 people was put in place on Oct. 13.
All limits will now be allowed to expire next Wednesday, Feb. 24.
Reno County, however, will remain under the Governor’s mask mandate.
The action comes as the county’s 14-day new positive COVID-19 case count dropped below 200, and the two-week positive test rate slipped to 11.6%.
COVID-19 LIVE UPDATES: Missouri reports 3,723 new coronavirus cases on Friday
kmbc.com - get the latest breaking news, showbiz & celebrity photos, sport news & rumours, viral videos and top stories from kmbc.com Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday newspapers.
Kansas reports COVID-19 death surge amid 1st vaccine shots
auburnpub.com - get the latest breaking news, showbiz & celebrity photos, sport news & rumours, viral videos and top stories from auburnpub.com Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday newspapers.
Reno County Commissioner Ron Hirst indicated Tuesday he wants to opt the county out of the state’s mask ordinance and he likely has the support of interim Commissioner Mark Steffen.
Steffen, for his part, however, indicated he’d prefer to rescind altogether a county health order that also sets maximum group gathering sizes at 10, though with many exceptions.
The current health order expires on Friday. Reno County Health Officer Karen Hammersmith told the commission Tuesday she plans to issue a new order on that date, to remain in place for another month.
Emergency Management Director Adam Weishaar also advised the commission he ll bring a proposed emergency declaration extension to the board next week, asking to extend it until Commissioner-elect Daniel Friesen takes his seat on the board in January.