Sam Page says that as schools reopen for the school year, the overwhelming majority are doing what's right: Wearing masks and getting vaccinated if they're able to.
CLAYTON — St. Louis County Executive Sam Page on Monday urged the County Council to once again consider approving a mask mandate, saying council members don’t have to like him in order to “do what’s right to protect our residents.â€
His appeal came just days after a judge issued a preliminary injunction to bar the Page administration from enforcing a July 26 public health order requiring people to wear masks indoors and on public transportation.
The council voted 5-2 on July 27 to rescind that order. Two subsequent council-led efforts to enact a similar order, sponsored by Page allies Lisa Clancy, D-5th District, and Kelli Dunaway, D-2nd District, failed on Aug. 10 and Aug. 17.
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Dunaway is expected to bring up the matter for the fourth time on Tuesday.
On Monday, Page called on council opponents to relent and get behind public health policies to stem the spread of the coronavirus.
“The County Council has another opportunity this week to show leadership and demonstrate that the welfare of all of our residents is a priority,†Page said.
The odds are against him, though.
Five of the seven council members — Rita Heard Days, D-1st District, Tim Fitch, R-3rd District, Mark Harder, R-7th District, Ernie Trakas, R-6th District, and Shalonda Webb, D-4th District — have opposed a mask mandate. Council Republicans have argued that government shouldn’t impose the requirement; the two Democrats who’ve opposed Page have questioned the administration’s commitment to addressing health disparities in north St. Louis County, including low vaccination rates.
Days and Webb last week introduced an ambitious plan to address health disparities in North County, including building a new health center.
Page on Monday pointed to businesses, community groups and school districts in the county that have required masks, arguing they are necessary to protect children younger than 12 who are not currently eligible for vaccines.
“Masks must be worn until we get more people vaccinated,†he said. “This is not an either/or, and those who push back against mask requirements are putting our children in danger.â€
Page also responded to criticism from Fitch, Days and Harder over a $2 million contract with a public relations firm hired in late April for COVID-19 health and vaccine outreach.
The contract was budgeted using $173.5 million in federal money the county received under the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act, but Page’s office has said they expect the full cost of the contract to be reimbursed by the federal government under an emergency assistance program that covers public health costs, including communications.
The contract, Page said, was part of the health department’s “comprehensive vaccination plan,†which includes advertisements “that stressed the importance of getting a vaccine,†as well as county-led vaccine events with school districts, fire departments, community groups and businesses.
“We’re pulling out all the stops to get more people vaccinated,†he said.
Page said council critics of the contract were “the same people who don’t support requiring masks and have consistently pushed back against the advice of medical experts and public health officials.â€
He urged them to set aside any political disagreement with him in considering the mask mandate Tuesday.
“It’s sad that public health has become politicized, and it’s sad that some elected leaders are voting against what’s best for our residents because they don’t like me,†Page said. “You can still not like me and do what’s right to protect our residents. Be on the right side of history.â€
Calls for a new mask order have come amid a recent rise in COVID-19 cases and hospitalizations. But after spiking earlier this month, the number of new cases appears to be declining.
The seven-day average of daily cases in the county was 291 on Thursday, down from 367 on Aug. 4, according to the county . In mid-November, during an earlier surge, the seven-day average exceeded 870 cases.
