ST. CHARLES COUNTY, Mo. — St. Charles County does not have a face mask mandate like the City of St. Louis and St. Louis County, but leaders there are asking businesses to require customers to wear face coverings.
“Mask Up, St. Charles County. Let’s keep St. Charles County safe and economically healthy,” that’s the message from St. Charles County leaders.
The plea from leaders come after a spike in the number of positive COVID-19 cases in St. Charles County over the last several weeks.
According to a press release from St. Charles County, local leaders want to stop the spread of the virus now, before even suggesting a return to even a modified version of shelter in place.
“It is not too late to get this resurgence under control,” Scott Tate, President & CEO of the Greater St. Charles County Chamber of Commerce said. “Everyone needs to be cautious and considerate of others. Business owners can help immensely by making mask wearing a requirement in their establishment.”
“We are encouraging businesses to please require anyone who enters their place of business to wear a mask. Most national chains have done this already. Nevertheless, we believe that each businessperson, after considering their responsibility to their customers, should have the freedom to make the decision. And when they make that decision, they need to be aware of the challenges the county is facing,” County Executive Steve Ehlmann said.
This is not the first time Ehlman has pleaded for widespread mask-wearing. Earlier this month, Ehlmann pleaded with people in St. Charles County but decided against a mask mandate.
St. Charles Mayor Dan Borgmeyer said the move to mandatory masks is incredibly difficult to monitor and enforce.
“But, businesses like Walmart, Schnucks, Dierbergs, CVS and others mandating masks makes the effort 100% enforceable. We believe the business community can make a very strong and positive statement by leading on this effort to help flatten the curve of cases in the county.
We have asked our residents and visitors to take personal responsibility and wear a mask when they are visiting businesses,” Borgmeyer continued. “Now we need businesses to make certain that is being done. We want businesses to remain open, and with everyone’s cooperation, we can make that happen voluntarily.”
“Our community works best when we work together,” St. Peters Mayor Len Pagano said. “Masking up while helping our businesses stay open and keeping our friends and neighbors on the job is the solution to stopping the spread and beating these challenges. St. Peters is proud to be a part of this united effort!”
Wentzville Mayor Nick Guccione also agreed.
“I believe as a community we have to come together and do any and all things possible to prevent the spread of this infectious disease,” he said.
The leaders have a message for all community residents and businesses: “Mask Up, St. Charles County. Let’s keep St. Charles County safe and economically healthy.”
Businesses looking for a free sign to get this message across can download and print one from the County’s website at sccmo.org. For questions about COVID-19 symptoms or testing, call the St. Charles County Department of Public Health Hotline at 636-949-1899.
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