A mask mandate could be on the horizon in Omaha.
Douglas County Health Director Dr. Adi Pour stopped short of issuing a mask mandate for Omaha during Thursday’s news conference on the local COVID-19 response, but she did say she is considering one.
Pour says as positive cases continue to rise and community spread increases, a mandate could come as early as next week. “But everything is up in the air,” she said. “And I think that a mandate, potentially, a mask mandate would help us in the right direction. I’m not there yet, like I said. There’s still some discussion.”
The last three days have been worrisome, she said, noting that the Douglas County Health Department has reported more than 100 new positive cases for three consecutive days: 108 reported on Tuesday, 179 on Wednesday, and 155 today. “Let’s not wait until we are at 100% occupancy of our hospital beds,” she said. “Let’s make sure we don’t get to that point.”
Pour says such a mandate would not force businesses to close. “I would love to keep (bars and restaurants) open, and therefore I think a mandate, a mask mandate, would keep them open."
Stothert says Omaha laws are different than Lincoln, where the mayor was able to issue a face mask mandate. Here, a mandate would have to come from Dr. Pour.
She also noted that school districts make their own decisions and advise her on what they’re doing, but Stothert said she isn’t able to put a mask mandate in schools, either. “I do understand the importance of a mask... I wish every single person in Omaha every time they’re out in public would have a mask on. I think we would see different results,” Stothert said.
The more information that comes out from medical and infectious disease experts and epidemiologists nationwide, emphasizes that face masks are very to preventing COVID-19 spread, she said. “I wish everybody would do it and just be responsible and do it without a mandate,” Stothert said. “That’s what I really wish would happen.”
The mayor said she’s seeing more people wearing masks in public, but acknowledged that some people won’t do it. It’s not an issue of not being able to get a mask, she said; they’re against wearing it.
The mayor also pointed out that Nebraska is one of seven states that didn’t have a shelter-in-place order, and still has some of the lowest numbers. “Decisions that we make should be driven by data,” she said. The mayor said she looks at COVID-19 data daily.
Stothert also pointed out that part of the consideration behind issuing a face mask mandate is that it must then be enforced. “That means it will be a crime, and police will have to enforce it and the city prosecutor will have to issue citations and prosecute it,” she said.