Kosciusko Not Looking To Mandate Masks
July 2, 2020 at 12:33 a.m.
Kosciusko Not Looking To Mandate Masks
By David [email protected]
While residents in Kosciusko County aren’t mandated to wear face masks, that could change if the county numbers begin rising exponentially.
At Wednesday’s weekly press conference at Warsaw City Hall on the coronavirus pandemic, Kosciusko County Public Health Officer Dr. William Remington said, “We feel the appropriate messaging remains as we have: That is masking is strongly encouraged, particularly when stepping indoors to a retail establishment or business or crowded environment. Wear a mask when in a crowded outdoor environment. I have personally wrestled quite a bit as I’ve listened to the discussion coming out of Elkhart County and St. Joe County as to whether or not we, in this county, whether I should personally push for a mask mandate in the county and I’m not there yet. I hope we never have to.”
He said the county’s case volume per population is less than half of what it is in Elkhart County. Kosciusko’s weekly growth of cases also has not been “explosive.”
“In those two metrics, I think, at least in my head, we’ll continue to voice the voluntary nature of a mask recommendation,” Remington said. “You do certainly open up a can of worms with a mask mandate. You get into enforcement issues and in some settings you can really kind of lose your voice, if you will, in public health and other places.”
He said Kosciusko County “could go there” but will continue to watch the numbers. “Before I would ever come to that decision as a health officer, I would have broad discussions with our elected officials. This would not be ever done in isolation. And my mindset is, again, of the temperament to continue the voluntary perspective on most of what we do,” Remington said.
If numbers “blow up,” he said the mask mandate is in some ways the “lowest-hanging fruit to reach for.”
“It does not have the economic impact of taking big, backward steps with closures. So it’s a tool in your toolbox that, as erroneous as it may sound to many, is really low-hanging fruit and is less the evil than some other things you can choose to do,” Remington said.
Earlier in the press conference, via speakerphone, Warsaw Mayor Joe Thallemer – who announced Tuesday he tested positive for COVID-19 – stressed the importance of face coverings.
“Obviously, the virus is not going away. We must all take individual responsibility to control spread by wearing a mask in public when social distancing can’t be controlled. Mandating masks is becoming more commonplace. I know up in Elkhart and St. Joe County, they’re facing much, much more critical acceleration of positive tests. But nevertheless, hopefully we can learn by what their doing to try and prevent this from happening down here in our county, even as we are looking at more and more tests,” Thallemer said.
Some communities and states are requiring masks. There are communities where businesses have at their front doors signs that say, “No masks, no service,” Thallemer pointed out.
“I personally feel like wearing a mask is the easiest and most-effective tool that we can all individually do, and most importantly, the use of the mask is protecting those around you, and I think that’s a really good way to look at it,” Thallemer said, adding that he still believes it’s a matter of personal responsibility. “I don’t know that there’s a way to make sure if we did create a mask order to enforce it. I just think people know how important it is and need to take that personal responsibility and not creating a mask order at this time.”
Warsaw-Wayne Fire Department station 1, downtown Warsaw, and station 2, on East Center Street, have masks available at no charge to anyone who wants them.
Asked who would have the authority to mandate masks be worn, Remington said, “Apparently, there’s pretty broad powers as a health officer. I’ve never pulled that level in the 25-plus years I’ve been doing this. I just don’t think like that. But there are broad powers.”
Elkhart County Health Officer Dr. Lydia Mertz announced an order Monday requiring masks when 6-foot social distancing can’t be maintained indoors and in outdoor public areas, according to the Associated Press. Also, all employees and customers in local businesses must wear masks. St. Joseph County Public Health?Officer Dr. Robert Einterz extended his county’s mask order through Sept. 7.
Remington said he would engage elected officials before mandating masks.
“Let’s face it, I’m a bureaucrat, I’m not elected. So, this has tremendous bearing on population and I think you engage with elected officials when you make decisions like that,” Remington said.
Thallemer said, “I know in certain communities the mayors can make a decision for their city, but I would never consider that without, basically, those sitting at the table – the commissioners, the health department and myself agreeing that’s what needs to happen and certainly taking the lead based on the data from the health department. I feel like it would be a collaborative decision.”
County Commissioner Brad Jackson pointed out that the mandates in St. Joe and Elkhart are orders but “there’s no enforcement. You’re not going to get like a ticket from the masked police or a fine or put in jail or anything like that.”
Remington said those counties had “tough” discussions about going into a mask mandate. “They’ve had high numbers for a few weeks here, and just recently went that direction with a mandate. So that was very tough for them. Very tough,” he said.
Thallemer said if individual retail wants to mandate masks for their employees and patrons, “that to me is a very good way to go. It seems to be pretty effective.”
Jackson said, “I think that’s better for private industry to self-police themselves because it’s a free market. If people don’t want to go into a store that doesn’t require masks, then they have the freedom to not go in, and vice versa.”
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While residents in Kosciusko County aren’t mandated to wear face masks, that could change if the county numbers begin rising exponentially.
At Wednesday’s weekly press conference at Warsaw City Hall on the coronavirus pandemic, Kosciusko County Public Health Officer Dr. William Remington said, “We feel the appropriate messaging remains as we have: That is masking is strongly encouraged, particularly when stepping indoors to a retail establishment or business or crowded environment. Wear a mask when in a crowded outdoor environment. I have personally wrestled quite a bit as I’ve listened to the discussion coming out of Elkhart County and St. Joe County as to whether or not we, in this county, whether I should personally push for a mask mandate in the county and I’m not there yet. I hope we never have to.”
He said the county’s case volume per population is less than half of what it is in Elkhart County. Kosciusko’s weekly growth of cases also has not been “explosive.”
“In those two metrics, I think, at least in my head, we’ll continue to voice the voluntary nature of a mask recommendation,” Remington said. “You do certainly open up a can of worms with a mask mandate. You get into enforcement issues and in some settings you can really kind of lose your voice, if you will, in public health and other places.”
He said Kosciusko County “could go there” but will continue to watch the numbers. “Before I would ever come to that decision as a health officer, I would have broad discussions with our elected officials. This would not be ever done in isolation. And my mindset is, again, of the temperament to continue the voluntary perspective on most of what we do,” Remington said.
If numbers “blow up,” he said the mask mandate is in some ways the “lowest-hanging fruit to reach for.”
“It does not have the economic impact of taking big, backward steps with closures. So it’s a tool in your toolbox that, as erroneous as it may sound to many, is really low-hanging fruit and is less the evil than some other things you can choose to do,” Remington said.
Earlier in the press conference, via speakerphone, Warsaw Mayor Joe Thallemer – who announced Tuesday he tested positive for COVID-19 – stressed the importance of face coverings.
“Obviously, the virus is not going away. We must all take individual responsibility to control spread by wearing a mask in public when social distancing can’t be controlled. Mandating masks is becoming more commonplace. I know up in Elkhart and St. Joe County, they’re facing much, much more critical acceleration of positive tests. But nevertheless, hopefully we can learn by what their doing to try and prevent this from happening down here in our county, even as we are looking at more and more tests,” Thallemer said.
Some communities and states are requiring masks. There are communities where businesses have at their front doors signs that say, “No masks, no service,” Thallemer pointed out.
“I personally feel like wearing a mask is the easiest and most-effective tool that we can all individually do, and most importantly, the use of the mask is protecting those around you, and I think that’s a really good way to look at it,” Thallemer said, adding that he still believes it’s a matter of personal responsibility. “I don’t know that there’s a way to make sure if we did create a mask order to enforce it. I just think people know how important it is and need to take that personal responsibility and not creating a mask order at this time.”
Warsaw-Wayne Fire Department station 1, downtown Warsaw, and station 2, on East Center Street, have masks available at no charge to anyone who wants them.
Asked who would have the authority to mandate masks be worn, Remington said, “Apparently, there’s pretty broad powers as a health officer. I’ve never pulled that level in the 25-plus years I’ve been doing this. I just don’t think like that. But there are broad powers.”
Elkhart County Health Officer Dr. Lydia Mertz announced an order Monday requiring masks when 6-foot social distancing can’t be maintained indoors and in outdoor public areas, according to the Associated Press. Also, all employees and customers in local businesses must wear masks. St. Joseph County Public Health?Officer Dr. Robert Einterz extended his county’s mask order through Sept. 7.
Remington said he would engage elected officials before mandating masks.
“Let’s face it, I’m a bureaucrat, I’m not elected. So, this has tremendous bearing on population and I think you engage with elected officials when you make decisions like that,” Remington said.
Thallemer said, “I know in certain communities the mayors can make a decision for their city, but I would never consider that without, basically, those sitting at the table – the commissioners, the health department and myself agreeing that’s what needs to happen and certainly taking the lead based on the data from the health department. I feel like it would be a collaborative decision.”
County Commissioner Brad Jackson pointed out that the mandates in St. Joe and Elkhart are orders but “there’s no enforcement. You’re not going to get like a ticket from the masked police or a fine or put in jail or anything like that.”
Remington said those counties had “tough” discussions about going into a mask mandate. “They’ve had high numbers for a few weeks here, and just recently went that direction with a mandate. So that was very tough for them. Very tough,” he said.
Thallemer said if individual retail wants to mandate masks for their employees and patrons, “that to me is a very good way to go. It seems to be pretty effective.”
Jackson said, “I think that’s better for private industry to self-police themselves because it’s a free market. If people don’t want to go into a store that doesn’t require masks, then they have the freedom to not go in, and vice versa.”
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