'This whole thing has become politicized': inside Missouri's Covid culture wars

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‘This whole thing has become politicized’: inside Missouri’s Covid culture wars
With winter coming, health officials are now concerned that the arguments that have roiled Missouri will leave it vulnerable again when a next wave hits

Edward Helmore in St Louis
Sun 3 Oct 2021 05.00 EDT


(Guardian UK) The boarded-up storefront of Rae’s Cafe in Blue Springs, Missouri, does not look much like a Covid-19 battleground – but it has become a cause célèbre of the anti-masking movement since owner Amanda Wohletz began a campaign in July to defy local Jackson county mask mandates imposed after Delta variant infections surged.

Despite warnings, citations, the revocation of a food permit and a county health department’s order to close her doors, Wohletz persisted, claiming in court that the mandate ordering everyone five and up is required to wear a face covering when visiting indoor public spaces was “unconstitutionally created” and efforts to enforce it were “unlawful, nonsensical”.

Now the restaurant is shuttered. In a 23 September ruling, a county judge rejected Wohletz’s argument of medical exemptions and that the restaurant could skirt the mandate by operating as a private club. The judge also ordered Rae’s to cease operations until it obtained a valid food permit.

Welcome to Missouri’s Covid culture wars.

This Republican-run midwestern state was hit hard and early by the pandemic, and again with the Delta wave of a more infectious variant. Tens of thousands of people have become infected. ...............(more)

https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2021/oct/03/missouri-coronavirus-covid-culture-wars

[SWBTATTReg]

1. For those of you who don't know, Jackson county is one of the major counties where KC is ...

located at (Blue Springs is too)...it seems like that if one were to go 60 miles or so from any major metro area in Missouri, the dumb and ignorant far outweigh those who are practicing safe masking, social distancing, etc.

I know from my regular correspondence w/ ex-neighbors, my sister and her family, etc. (in the heart of MO) that they are indeed masking, social distancing, etc. so pls. don't associate these Blue Springs idiots w/ the general population of out-state MO, which is increasingly being made up of quite a few retired people who came to MO for the low cost of living.

If these anti-mask rubes came to STLMO (where I'm at) or KCMO, they'll be immediately asked to put a mask on (free to those that don't have one) or asked to leave, no arguing, leave! The last time I was at the bar, the bar manager asked someone to put a mask on, or leave. No questions, just a directive...I thanked him. Support your local businesses and do what they ask. Times are dangerous enough w/o these thugs mucking things up and making it difficult for everyone else too.