The Omaha City Council heard another round of public comment on Tuesday about the city's mask mandate.
The City Council again heard from residents for and against the city’s face mask ordinance after hearing a report on the latest local COVID-19 case and positivity data from the county health director.
On the table this time, too, was a proposal from Councilman Ben Gray to throw out the “sunset provision” on the ordinance, instead keeping the mandate in place until the population reaches certain levels for COVID-19 positivity rates and positive cases.
Gray is proposing the ordinance remain in place, without further action from the council, until Douglas County Health Director Dr. Adi Pour determines two COVID-19 data points have been consistently both met in the city:
- The positivity rate equals 5% or less for two consecutive weekly reporting periods.
- The seven-day rolling average equals 10 or fewer positive cases per 100,000 people for two consecutive weekly reporting periods.
On Tuesday, Pour addressed the council saying there have been “sharp increases” in the number of cases diagnosed in recent weeks, partly because of increased testing — but that is not the only factor. She says other factors are most likely those who do not wear masks when they cannot social distance, while both masks and social distancing are not being observed in small groups and gatherings.
Pour says that the positivity rate in Omaha is currently 17%.
“The more people that are infected and the more exposure in the community which can lead to logarithmic increases,” she said. “Are masks effective? Yes.”
Wearing masks reduces the risk of exposure and consequently reduces the burden on hospitals and the number of people having to quarantine in isolation, Pour added. The next three months will mean more people staying indoors, where the coronavirus is more likely to infect individuals and social distancing becomes more difficult.
Pour recommended keeping the mask ordinance in place until the end of the year or until “certain thresholds are achieved.”
Dr. Lee Merritt, an opponent to the mask mandate, said masks don't control viruses, they control people. She added that wearing masks is damaging to society and children.
Merritt said she recently returned from Washington D.C. at a White Coat Summit and reviewed literature which stated 97% of particles passed through cloth masks. She also pointed to data that those who wear masks also have six times a higher chance of having influenza-like illnesses and upper respiratory diseases.
The Council is expected to vote on a possible extension on November 10th. It approved the mask mandate for Omaha would be in place through December 29th.
(Photo by Brian Mastre / WOWT)