bransonglobe.com LOCAL • FACE COVERINGS Continued from page 1 accurate facts.” If the board votes against the bill and its mandated face coverings, that’s its end. If it votes to approve the bill and its mandated face coverings, a “second reading” and another vote would be required. The public may then get a chance to comment on the issue before the “second reading.” Typically, the second reading comes as part of the Consent Agenda for the board’s next regular meeting. The board generally votes on the Consent Agenda, in total, without any public comment. However, an alderman, or member of the public, can request the removal of an item before the board votes. Once removed, it becomes the first item on the meetings Regular Agenda. At that point, the public gets an opportunity to comment on it before the board’s votes. Another possibility is that upon approval of the bill by the board, they seek to have an emergency The comments and staff report supporting the face covering mandate boiled down to one primary point, “It helps control the spread of the COVID-19 virus from one person to another.” Dr. Shawn Usery, MD, FHM, the Chief Medical Officer, Administration, for Cox Medical Center in Branson, presented the science of how that happens. He stressed that one of the primary ways the disease spreads is through respiratory droplets from those with COVID-19. He said, “As I am talking to somebody without a mask on those respiratory droplets travel in the range of about six (6) to eight (8) feet. If I’m singing or yelling, the droplet may go further. ‘Wearing a mask over our nose and mouth, even just a simple cloth mask, reduces the number of droplets and the distance they travel. The distance isn’t zero, and there are still things that second reading at that same meeting. If that happens, there must be a motion and discussion on having the second reading. If the board votes for a second reading, then there must then be another motion to consider the item. The public gets an opportunity to comment on both motions. During the July 16 meeting, the board heard comments from both those against and supporting mandatory face coverings. The reasons against it included the concerns that face coverings don’t prevent the spread of COVID, the impact of wearing masks if not appropriately worn, the impact of wearing masks on other medical conditions, violation of constitutional rights, the potential effect on tourists coming to Branson; enforcement issues, freedom of choice, and many others. make it through, but face masks reduce the risk of transmission from one person to another significantly.’” To illustrate the point, Dr. UsYour Branson Area Weather Source Loving The Ozarks FRI 94 Partly Cloudy Chance For a Shower or Thunderstorm 72 73 74 Branson Area 5 Day Outlook SAT SUN ery shared information about a case from the July 14 CDC Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report. It reports on two Springfield, Missouri salon hairstylists who, while working at the salon, unknowingly had COVID-19. In combination, the two stylists worked on over 136 customers during about a week. Both wore masks, as did all of the customers they served. The report indicates that not a single client or other hairstylists in the salon came down with the virus. However, it further points out July 24 - 25, 2020 • 13 that four individuals living in the same “home” as one of the stylists did test positive for COVID-19. In conclusion, the report recommends, the consistent and correct use of face coverings as an important tool for minimizing the spread of COVID-19. MON TUE 95 95 94 90 Partly Cloudy Mostly Sunny Partly Cloudy Chance for a Shower or Thunderstorm 71 Partly Cloudy Chance for a Shower or Thunderstorm
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