Southwest Missouri has seen the biggest spike in confirmed COVID-19 cases in the state in recent weeks, and as local leaders try to address the outbreak, one measure that they’ve discussed is requiring masks.
While an increasing amount of research supports the use of masks in public to reduce transmission of the virus, masks have become polarizing, as Joplin Mayor pro tem Keenan Cortez found out when his city raised the possibility of a mask ordinance.
Since our conversation, the Joplin city council has moved to purchase 100,000 masks to provide to city residents, and is holding a special session Wednesday evening to reconsider a mask ordinance.
