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A mask mandate for city workers in St. Louis, Missouri, ended hours after it was announced.
St. Louis's Department of Health told city employees on Thursday that they would have to wear masks indoors from Friday. The department cited a spike in respiratory illnesses in the region, according to the St. Louis Post-Dispatch.
Medical institutions in California, Illinois, Massachusetts and New York, as well as Washington, D.C., all brought back rules meaning face masks are mandatory for certain people. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said that nationally the number of positive cases had risen by 12.7 percent in the week to December 23 compared with the week prior.
"With activity of winter viruses rising at such a rapid pace, we must take action to slow transmission and prevent strain on our hospital systems," the St. Louis health department had said in Thursday's letter to employees, the newspaper reported.
However, the department reversed course on the mandate on Friday afternoon. City spokesman Nick Dunne said it now just "strongly recommends" that employees wear masks indoors.
Dunne did not specify what prompted the change, but Missouri Governor Mike Parson's office took credit. Newsweek contacted Dunne for comment via email on Monday.
Johnathan Shiflett, a spokesperson for the Republican governor who opposed mask mandates during the COVID-19 pandemic, told Newsweek that Parson had recently said on the radio that he "would step in and oppose new mask mandates."
"Governor Parson kept his word," Shiflett said. "A conversation was had with the St. Louis Mayor's Office, and a new policy has been issued reversing the earlier mask mandate as a result."
The mandate quickly sparked the ire of conservatives. "Individuals have a right to make their own decisions when it comes to wearing masks – I fought these ridiculous mandates when I was Missouri's Attorney General, and I will continue to do everything in my power to fight COVID tyranny," Sen. Eric Schmitt, a Republican, said in a statement.
The city's health department also issued a press release on Thursday, urging the public as well to wear masks when indoors in public spaces and crowded environments. It cited the rise in COVID-19, flu and RSV [respiratory syncytial virus] infections in the region.
"While none of these viruses are new or more deadly than in seasons past, the rapidly rising number of reported cases and hospitalizations suggests that more precautions are necessary to avoid strain on the healthcare system," the press release added.
The department issued an update to the release on Friday, in an effort to clarify the information previously provided.
It said that COVID-19 hospitalization within the St. Louis Health Service Area increased by 38 percent in the month between Thanksgiving and Christmas, while influenza rose 455 percent and RSV increased by 34 percent.
The St. Louis health department said the city's hospitalization rate, 15.5. cases per 100,000 residents, puts it in the Centers for Disease Control medium risk category. The CDC advises masking indoors for those in the high category.
"The City of St. Louis Department of Health has consistently recommended masking, and the department is not mandating masks for City residents at large," the department said.
It added that it encourages people to take additional steps to prevent the spread of respiratory viruses, including staying up to date with vaccines and seeking testing and possible treatment if sick.
Update 12/8/23, 8:50 a.m. ET: This article has been updated with comment from Johnathan Shiflett.
About the writer
Khaleda Rahman is Newsweek's National Correspondent based in London, UK. Her focus is reporting on education and national news. Khaleda ... Read more