Kansas City COVID Vaxx, Mask & Democracy Debate Open Thread

The plague continues to dominate local news but a comment sent our way by a KICK-ASS TKC Reader sparked our interest.

For the most part we respect the author's point of view but feel the need to point out that the United States is not, in fact, a majoritarian Democracy.

Nevertheless, here's the word . . .

Does the Mayor believe in Democracy?  

Just a couple weeks ago Kansas City had a 35% vaccination rate.  That means 65% of Kansas City residents chose not to get the vaccine.  After this much time and a jab waiting for you at almost every corner with a drugstore or pop up vaccination site it is a simple conclusion that if you didn't have the vaccine by now it was by choice.  

Of that 35% there is a pretty good assumption that a percentage of those vaccinated didn't do so by choice but by mandatory requirement of their workplace, school or simply getting bullied into it . . . The fam got my government-hating relative to get the COVID vaccine. (THEY) keep messaging those close to you about "how important the vaccine is for them, their families, and our communities" 

The percentage of those NOT wanting to get a vaccine is actually greater.  

So do the Mayor and those who apparently know what is best for everyone believe in a democracy?

99% of those hospitalized for Covid are unvaccinated . . . Hospitalized by their own actions. Yet the full responsibility for their suffering is now being placed upon those who took the vaccine.

Democracy is the rule of the majority, a government in which the supreme power is vested in the people and exercised by them. It doesn't matter if you side with the majority or not to accept it.

DOES THE MAYOR BELIEVE IN DEMOCRACY?

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To be fair, the "Tyranny of the majority" is something that losers often fear after election defeat despite protections built into a federal constitutional republic like the United States . . .

But the upshot here is that many local voters CLEARLY feel disconnected and even disenfranchised by increasingly unpopular public health mandates along with "evolving" and often contradictory statements from elected leaders. 

Accordingly and from both sides of the political spectrum, we share these news links tonight . . .

Kansas City business owner says he's not surprised mask mandate is back

The mask mandate will have a huge impact on some Kansas City businesses. One owner we talked to said he is not surprised it is back. He said he has had to make a lot of changes because of the pandemic, and to him, the masks make sense.Café Europa is located in the Crestwood Shops in Kansas City.

Mask or no masks? Where local school districts stand on requiring masks

KANSAS CITY, MO (KCTV) --- It's almost time for teachers and students to hit the classroom again. The topic of masks remains on the table for most districts as of the end of July. Here's where the district's stand as of now: Blue Valley: Masks are optional Center School District: Masks will be required.

Children's Mercy doctor: It's time to pivot, not panic, as COVID-19 cases continue to rise

KANSAS CITY, Mo. - The leader of the pediatric infectious diseases department at Children's Mercy says it's time for people to pivot, but not panic, in their approach to the COVID-19 pandemic. Dr. Angela Myers said Tuesday the number of COVID-19 cases in children has increased week-over-week since the beginning of July.

Hospital morgues fill as death count climbs in Missouri

A Springfield hospital announced Tuesday that it expanded its morgue capacity amid an increase in COVID-19 deaths, while the Kansas City mayor announced he would reinstate a mask mandate for indoor spaces.Missouri has the nation's fourth-worst COVID-19 diagnosis rate over the past week, with one in every 360 people diagnosed with COVID-19.

Kansas City, Missouri, Mayor Quinton Lucas says state-level health order legislation 'unhelpful'

KANSAS CITY, Mo. - It's important for Kansas City, Missouri, leaders to follow Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) guidance when considering whether or not to reinstate a mask mandate, according to Mayor Quinton Lucas. However, he said some legislative changes at the state level are "unhelpful to actually respond to crises."

City employees required to be vaccinated or get COVID-19 tests, Kansas City policy says

Kansas City has been requiring employees to be vaccinated or undergo mandatory COVID-19 testing since June. In an email Wednesday, spokeswoman Maggie Green wrote that the city's policy "proactively" outlined COVID-19 safety measures for all city employees and work spaces. Jackson County announced its vaccination or testing policy on Tuesday.

'It's disappointing:' Gov. Mike Parson responds to new CDC guidance

KANSAS CITY, Mo. - Missouri Gov. Mike Parson took to Twitter Wednesday to weigh in on the Centers for Disease Control's new guidance moving the nation back toward mask-wearing to prevent the spread of COVID-19. He expressed concern for the back-and-forth nature of the CDC guidance on masks.

After Kansas City reinstates mask mandate, other metro counties weigh in

KANSAS CITY, Mo. - Kansas City, Missouri, Mayor Quinton Lucas has reinstated an indoor mask mandate for everyone, regardless of vaccine status. The new mask rule applies to everyone age 5 and older and takes effect Monday, August 2, until at least 12:01 a.m. on Saturday, August 28.

How reinstatement of indoor mask mandate will affect Kansas City restaurants

KANSAS CITY, Mo - The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) updated its mask recommendation following a recent uptick of positive delta variant cases. Kansas City, Missouri, Mayor Quinton Lucas followed suit Wednesday morning by reinstating an indoor mask mandate for the city.

Recovering Kansas City restaurants, bars fear potential revenue slump with new mask mandate

KANSAS CITY, Mo. - Starting Monday, Kansas City Mayor Quinton Lucas is requiring everyone, even vaccinated people, to wear masks in indoor public places. That includes restaurants and bars. It's an industry hit hard by the pandemic, and some restaurant owners say this feels like groundhog day.

Opinion | Why new mask mandates could backfire for Democrats

The new wave of Covid-19 infections breaking over the nation has proven a deadly threat. That the surge is almost exclusively centered on America's unvaccinated population is cold comfort for hospital systems in areas of the country with lower-than-average immunization rates.

Migrant child coronavirus outbreak: Whistleblowers say they were told to downplay infections at Fort Bliss

Two federal whistleblowers are alleging that Department of Health and Human Services instructed them to downplay a coronavirus outbreak amongst migrant children being housed at a facility in Fort Bliss, Texas, earlier this year, according to a complaint filed Wednesday.

Tempers flare in U.S. Congress as COVID-19 mask mandates return

WASHINGTON, July 28 (Reuters) - Tempers flared in the U.S. Congress on Wednesday after its chief physician urged lawmakers to resume wearing masks to slow the spread of the highly contagious Delta variant of COVID-19, with the top Democrat labeling Republican opposition as "moronic."

Political Pollster: 'Every Time' Fauci 'Speaks, He Actually Turns Off People' To Getting Vaccinated

Political pollster Frank Luntz told CNN this week that Dr. Anthony Fauci, who serves as the director of the U.S. National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases and the chief medical advisor to the president, turns people off to the idea of getting vaccinated and that if the Biden administration is serious about getting more people vaccinated they need to get Fauci out of television interviews.

Should you be wearing a mask again? Here's a map of the Covid hot spots subject to the CDC's new mask guidance

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommended Tuesday that fully vaccinated Americans start wearing masks indoors again in places with high Covid-19 transmission rates as nationwide infection levels are once again on the rise. CDC Director Dr. Rochelle Walensky told reporters Tuesday that masks should be worn in public, indoor settings by everyone, including fully vaccinated people, in areas "with substantial and high transmission."

Some vaccine-hesitant men change minds: 'Give yourself a fighting chance'

Antonio Bell walked into the Lunch Partners food line in Independence on Wednesday to gather food for his family.A health care worker with the Independence Health Department stopped him before he could reach the bread and fresh vegetables."Do you need a COVID vaccine?"

Vaccinations will be offered at Garth Brooks' Kansas City concert

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (KMOV.com) -- Country music fans will get the chance to get the COVID-19 vaccine during his upcoming concert on August 7. Arrowhead Stadium. the home of the Kansas City Chiefs, will once again become a mass vaccination site. More than 70,000 fans are expected to be at the sold-out show.

You decide . . .