COLUMBUS, Ind. — The city of Columbus is working with the Bartholomew County Health Department to hash out the details of a possible county-wide mask mandate that could be in place as early as later this week.
The mandate would largely focus on requiring people to wear masks or face coverings in indoor spaces, but city and county officials are still discussing what kinds of exceptions would be allowed and are “taking a real close look” at similar measures in Marion and Monroe counties, Columbus Mayor Jim Lienhoop told The Republic on Tuesday.
The order, however, would come from the Bartholomew County Health Department, not the city, Lienhoop said.
“We’re talking it over. No final decision has been made, although I expect one yet this week,” he said. “If we go forward, the notion would be to make an announcement later this week.”
Dr. Brian Niedbalski, county health officer, told Bartholomew Consolidated School Corp. members Monday night the city and county were considering the mask mandate as part of the community response to the COVID-19 pandemic. BCSC students will be required to wear masks in school when schools are scheduled to reopen on Aug. 6, according to a revised reopening plan approved Monday night by the BCSC board.
For more on this story, see Wednesday’s Republic.
