Douglas County Health Director Dr. Lindsay Huse this morning announced her intent to declare a mask mandate for the City of Omaha effective at midnight. To the County Board, she said, "My integrity as a health professional ... can't watch, and our hospitals can't handle, a huge surge of more Omicron cases. I can't sit by and know that I could have done more, and didn't do more."
"Later today," she continued, "I plan to use my authority under city code Chapter 12, section 21, 23, and 24, to order a mask mandate for the city of Omaha that would be effective as of midnight tonight. This is not a decision that I made lightly ... and I know that it's gonna create some waves."
"We have research, evidence, out there showing that masks decrease transmission. I'm not claiming that masks are going to end the pandemic or stop the pandemic, but it's gonna slow it down."