As Douglas County's local public health order expired May 26, Lawrence-Douglas County Public Health offers new guidance, including strongly recommending people still wear masks when indoors or outdoors in public and unable to social distancing, especially for those who are not fully vaccinated and immunocompromised.
The guidance also recommends masks in schools, healthcare settings and on public transportation, based on the current CDC guidance.
The local guidance take into account the difficulty in public of determining who is fully vaccinated and seeks to give support to businesses and organizations who operate public spaces, including restaurants, grocery and retail stores, libraries, parks and recreation facilities and public meetings. Full guidance for each sector is available at LDCHealth.org/Smart-safe
"We worked with the local health officers to craft these recommendations to ask people who are in settings where people's vaccine status is unknown — which would include any business space that is open to the public — to wear a mask," Director Dan Partridge said.
LDCPH also encourages anyone 12 or older who has not yet been vaccinated to find an appointment in the community. More information is available at LDCHealth.org/COVIDVaccine..
"We still strongly recommend everyone who is not vaccinated wear a mask in public," said Dr. Thomas Marcellino, Local Health Officer. "That's the key premise behind our recommendation to let the health order expire. I know that puts the responsibility in the hands of the citizens. Douglas County has done a really good job up to this point, and I am confident in our residents."