HUTCHINSON, Kan. — Hospital staff, Emergency Management and the Health Department were all under fire from County Commissioners and the public regarding action being taken to curb the pandemic.
It came during Tuesday's County Commission meeting. The comments from the Board and during public comment were in direct conflict with the Governor’s mask mandate and the health order that is currently in place. County Commissioner Dr. Mark Steffen continuously stated that the numbers and figures being brought before them were not accurate and not factual. It is the same argument he has been giving before the board since he took office in the interim.
Steffen and County Commissioner Ron Hirst questioned the accuracy of COVID tests and wanted to know why the Health Department didn’t have information on how tests were being conducted in labs. The Board members stated that about 20% of the tests given turn out to be false positives, which is hurting the community and the economy.
Then it was the public's turn to respond with accusations that what the health department, the state and even hospitals are doing isn’t working. The requested that the health order from the state and county be lifted and let the public make their own decisions on how to treat the pandemic.
Commissioner Hirst asked for consensus to draw up an agenda item for next week's meeting that would lift the mask mandate from the Governor’s orders. Another added agenda item from Steffen to do away with the health order altogether was dropped from the agenda.