THREAD: We started the day wanting to know more about mask mandates and their impact on stopping the spread of COVID-19 in KC. @kmbc https://twitter.com/MattFlenerKMBC/status/1286299848778682370

QUICK CONCLUSION: The Kansas City area needs a couple more weeks to know if mask mandates implemented just before the July 4th holiday are working, according to four top public health experts @kmbc spoke with Thursday.

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As the nationwide debate over mask usage intensifies, more governments and retailers have required masks. But those policies, studies have shown, take at least 3-4 weeks to see the true effect of change in the spread of COVID-19.
June 27 is when @KCMO implemented a mask mandate.

This week, new cases of #COVID19 hit record highs in @kcmo. But, @KCMOHealthDept Director @RexArcherMD said he’s hopeful the Kansas City area starts to see a decrease in positive cases in the next two weeks.

The time frame will allow a couple of two week incubation periods for #COVID19 run its course in individuals after @kcmo 's mask mandate went into effect June 27.

“That really depends on if we’re getting 60-70 percent compliance [for masks], then it’s going to take 5-6 weeks for it to come down,” @RexArcherMD said. “If we see tomorrow we got 95% compliance, then I would expect within two weeks, we would start to see that drop.”

We also spoke with @JOCOHealth director Dr. @sanmiareola. He says he’s encouraged with a flattening of a curve of new cases since mask mandate went into effect July 3rd.

“We have seen a flattening of the increase,” Areola said. “The goal is not to stay flat if we’re talking about opening schools, we’re talking about allowing our visitors to go to our long-term care facilities.”

Dr. Areola said he would like to see the county stop the spread of COVID-19 to less than 20 cases a day like five to six weeks ago, and said he's hopeful to know more in a couple weeks.

WYCO: @UGHealthDept, a rolling average of positive cases has dropped slightly from a peak of 92 cases on July 16 to 69 cases on July 23.

Not clear yet in Wyandotte County if mask mandates are cause. “Right now we’re really just at the beginning of the time period, when we would potentially see results from the mask mandate,” said @UGHealthDept Chief Epidemiologist Elizabeth Groenweghe.

BOTTOM LINE: @kmbc will keep checking to see how mask mandates are working to stop spread of COVID-19 -- especially as schools start over the next few weeks.

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