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By
NICK GOSNELL
Hutch
Post
HUTCHINSON,
Kan. —&nbsp;Reno County Health Officer Nick Baldetti made it clear that he believes that masks need to be worn in schools. The issue came up as the Reno County Commission had a resolution before it to leave the decision of K-6th grade mask use or not up to specific school districts."My fear is that, given the option, that we may have some districts that loosen restrictions on mask use," Baldetti said Tuesday. "In some of the plans that were presented to Mr. O'Sullivan and myself. The plans themselves suggest no mask use at the beginning and then we'll shift to mask use once cases present in schools. That strategy is opposite of the very mitigating strategy. We are trying to prevent cases from presenting and mass spreading in schools, not react by slowing the spread and the dispersal pattern waiting for a positive to already be within the schools."Commission Chair Ron Sellers has changed his position on the resolution in recent days."A week ago, I probably would have voted for this resolution," Sellers said. "I have listened to people that have written me. I think teachers are very, very concerned about their safety and they should be. I concur with Ms. Neal that said children are capable of doing this. I think children can spread this terrible virus. They can take it home to their elders, their grandparents."Commissioner Bob Bush joined Sellers in upholding the county's current position."Today, it was very clear to me that we need to keep the local control of this particular issue at the department of health and within the Reno County government," Bush said. Commissioner Ron Hirst still believes that the spread may be overstated."We're assuming that we're going to have terrible spread of this virus, without assuming that we may not have," Hirst said. "Communication has been excellent. There's been good conversations between the health department and our school superintendents and I just believe that those folks at the local areas can decide what's best for them."Ultimately, the resolution was voted down 2-1 so the mask restrictions that are currently in place for schools as they prepare to start will remain in effect.

Reno County Commission decides to leave school mask mandates in place