At St. Louis Public Schools, masks will become optional for students and staff beginning on Monday, according to the districts website. They must be well compensated, right? I've been plenty of places where masks are "required" and nobody gives a shit. "I'm more disappointed than surprised because I think we could've been beyond this," Luann Harding said. Mayor Tishaura Jones said the masking, vaccine and testing policies for city workers have helped saves lives. Why? There are also many people in the city who live with children who are too young to get vaccinated. A mask lies in snow outside a Walgreens in Des Peres on Friday, Feb. 25, 2022. Mask mandates came to an end Monday in the state of Illinois and St. Louis County. Were optimistic weve seen the worst of this, he said. In a statement last week, the city's department of health said the mask mandate would expire on Saturday, March 5, at 11:59 p.m. because of the decline in number of confirmed COVID-19 cases, hospitalizations and positivity percentage rate, along with updated guidance from the CDC. You have permission to edit this article. St. Louis forecast: Mostly clear tonight into Sunday, warmer afternoons through Monday. Bucknor for rejecting handshake: Zero class, Man shot and killed after fight in downtown St. Louis, Fate of St. Louis Fox Theatre still undecided, Liberty High student killed in St. Charles shooting could heal you with a smile, Brothers who did everything together, fashionista among victims in fatal St. Louis crash, St. Louis prosecutors staff down by nearly half as caseloads jump. I'm a Franciscan brother, a Franciscan Friar and we've lost 7 of our Friars through COVID and some of them were just by someone being out without a mask and coming home and giving it to everybody else in the house," Ignatius Harding said. ST LOUIS With COVID-19 hospitalizations and new cases dropping in Missouri, the state's largest county will end its . In January, St. Louis County board members voted to approve the mandate after weeks of infighting. He also has pointed out that the Board of Aldermens extension votes in August and October took place after the 30-day deadlines in place then. Under the new CDC recommendations, the federal agency classifies counties as low, medium or high COVID-19 risk, based on the rates of new hospital admissions, the portion of hospital beds occupied by COVID-19 patients and the rate of new cases. The St.. Last chance! St. Louis Health Department Director Dr. Matifadza Hlatshwayo Davis on Thursday, March 3, 2022, announces the city will allow its mask mandate to expire on Saturday, March 5 at 11:59 p.m. It feels like the vasectomy scene from The Office: snip snap, snip snap, snip snap! Masks are still required on buses and light rail service operated by Metro in St. Louis. If only they were actually enforced. Missouri Attorney General Eric Schmitt asked a Missouri judge to overturn the countys mask mandate. OSHA opened an investigation after a worker died in a quarry near Sullivan City, Texas. In a press conference Tuesday, Chief Executive John Lee said . The CDCadvises wearing face masks[www.cdc.gov]or respirators for all individuals who are able to appropriately do so. A 3-ply cloth mask or a medical procedure mask will reduce transmission of particles. I hate it here sometimes. The boards health and human services committee is meeting Thursday and has asked Dr. Mati Hlatshwayo Davis, the St. Louis health director, to discuss the citys next steps, Alderwoman Christine Ingrassia said. That's why, starting Monday, anyone visiting the Gateway Arch will be required to wear masks inside all park buildings regardless of vaccination status. Our data shows that conditions at this time are favorable for reducing another layer of our risk mitigation system. St. Louis City's current mask mandate expires on March 5 at 11:59 p.m. and the Health Department will . Learn More. These maps and charts show the spread of and vaccination rates against COVID-19 in Missouri and Illinois. Posted at 12:11 PM, Feb 23, 2022. and last updated 10:11 AM, Feb 23, 2022. She said the question should be directed to the city personnel department. (KMOV) - The mask mandate in the City of St. Louis ended Sunday. ST. LOUIS St. Louis, the last jurisdiction with an indoor mask requirement in the metropolitan area, will be ending its mandate at 11:59 p.m. Saturday, the citys health director announced Thursday. A surprising number of shoppers continued to wear a mask despite the lack of a requirement. I encourage St. Louisans to respect the personal choice of those who continue wearing masks in public spaces, and if you have not yet been vaccinated or boosted, make sure you do so as soon as you can.. But because the law was subject to interpretation and may apply anyway, he asked aldermen to go ahead and approve extensions. Sarah is the health reporter at St. Louis Public Radio. In a statementlast week, the citys department of health said the mask mandate would expire on Saturday, March 5, at 11:59 p.m. because of the decline in number of confirmed COVID-19 cases, hospitalizations and positivity percentage rate, along with updated guidance from the CDC. Schools with immunocompromised faculty or children too young to be vaccinated might also keep their requirements for face coverings, he said. The city's leader, John Lee, says masks will no longer View CDC guidance on mask wearing [www.cdc.gov]. Photo by Joseph Cooke, jcooke@post-dispatch.com, Dr. Mati Hlatshwayo Davis takes questions after Mayor Tishaura O. Jones appointed Davis as the city's new health director on Wednesday, Sept. 1, 2021, at a press conference at City Hall. - The legal battle over the latest St. Louis County mask mandate returns to court Tuesday morning. The Department of Health urges everyone to wear a mask in public settings, especially when the Community and Transmission levels are high. When worn properly, facemasksprimarily contain exhaled respiratory droplets and particles, while providing some protection against inhaling materials exhaled by others. Press question mark to learn the rest of the keyboard shortcuts. But now, given the latest CDC guidance and the trajectory of the pandemic, he said, lifting it seems smart. In an apparent reference to an influx of new federal aid to the city, he said we have too much money in our bank to not figure out how to address some of the issues facing the city. Under state law, the citys Board of Aldermen has had to periodically vote to extend the July mandate. The indoor mandate, which was dropped last May in the city and county, was restarted in July in both jurisdictions amid a surge in cases related to the virus delta variant. Seriously underwater., Arch Madness: 2023 MVC Basketball Tournament bracket, schedule, game times, TV info, St. Louis man charged in quadruple fatal crash; police say he ran off with his license plate, Centene expects to lose millions of Medicaid customers beginning in April, Neman: Missouri womans saga of trying to find common sense at Walmart, I can still hear the roaring of the engine, says father of teen maimed in downtown St. Louis. Confira. Echols is currently on leave from his position, a source familiar with the situation has said. (KMOV) - The mask mandate in the City of St. Louis ended Sunday. Being able to lift the mask mandate is an encouraging step, St. Louis County Executive Sam Page told reporters Wednesday. Schmitts suit alleged that the mandate was arbitrary, capricious and unconstitutional. City and County Schnucks employees are required. I've seen very few people with them on at all. We have an entire side of town that has been left decayed because of the color of the skin of the individuals who occupy that side of town, he said. This content is available in the following format: City of St. Louis Department of Health Masking Guidelines PDF A spike in cases and hospitalizations due to the omicron variant that began during the holidays has begun to subside, Page said. CLAYTON, Mo. Notifications can be turned off anytime in the browser settings. The mask mandate St. Louis officials put in place to protect residents against the coronavirus will expire on Sunday, but the city's health director still thinks people should wear a mask indoors, even if there is no official requirement. For more information or for questions about travel requirements in Puerto Rico, you can contact our traveler help center at: 939-592-5115 | infoviajeros@salud.pr.gov. ST. LOUIS St. Louis City has officially ended its mask mandate. August 17, 2022; CalHHS Secretary Extends Mask Mandate to Mid-February January 7, 2022; Fed-OSHA seeks suggestions for strengthening VPP June 27, 2017; The district said it will monitor virus rates closely and remain ready to shift protocols if needed. This content is available in the following format: City of St. Louis Department of HealthMasking Guidelines PDF. Bucknor for rejecting handshake: Zero class, Man shot and killed after fight in downtown St. Louis, Fate of St. Louis Fox Theatre still undecided, Liberty High student killed in St. Charles shooting could heal you with a smile, Brothers who did everything together, fashionista among victims in fatal St. Louis crash, St. Louis prosecutors staff down by nearly half as caseloads jump. Yup. City and County Schnucks employees are required to wear masks. Dr. Rochelle Walensky, director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, spoke at Washington University School of Medicine on Thursday, March 3, 2022. ST. LOUIS, Mo. The mask mandate St. Louis officials put in place to protect residents against the coronavirus will expire on Sunday, but the city's health director still thinks people should wear a mask indoors, even if there is no official requirement. The law limits local extensions to 21 days when a state of emergency is not in place. The mandate set to expire was included in an order issued by Dr. Fredrick Echols, who as health commissioner is the second-ranking person in the department. By accepting all cookies, you agree to our use of cookies to deliver and maintain our services and site, improve the quality of Reddit, personalize Reddit content and advertising, and measure the effectiveness of advertising. Stay informed daily on the latest news and advice on COVID-19 from the editors at U.S. News & World Report. Shoppers at the Schnucks store on Clayton Road in Richmond Heights welcomed the news. That agencys interim director has declined to comment on Echols. Previously, St. Louis Health Department Director Dr. Matifadza Hlatshwayo Davis said the city. Natalie Hoffman told News 4, Im glad, Im ready, its time.. Throughout the pandemic, the city and countys public health orders have mostly mirrored each other. The order went into effect Wednesday morning at 8:30 a.m.