Joplin face mask mandate expires Sunday night

Joplin’s face mask mandate expires Sunday night but officials are still urging you to take safety precautions to slow the spread of COVID-19. Read the full press release below:

Joplin Mayor Ryan Stanley has announced that Ordinance No. 2020-176 will expire at the end of the day, February 28, 2021. This ordinance established the rule for citizens to wear faces masks in public. It went into effect prior to last year’s holiday season on November 20, 2020.

“The expiration of this ordinance lifts the requirement that citizens must wear masks in public or at businesses that do not require it,” said Stanley. “Although the mandate has been removed, everyone is still encouraged to practice safe measures that we’ve been doing throughout this past year. Our community has continued to monitor and adjust their personal practices during the pandemic. We appreciate their diligence and support in taking these steps for the good of the community.”

The mask ordinance is a document independent of the City’s Response and Recovery Plan. Currently the City is in Phase 2 Step 4 of the plan. Exhibits in the recovery plan outline mask requirements for restaurants and personal service businesses such as salons and barbershops. The public is reminded that businesses may establish their own guidelines, or some may be directed by a federal agency or their corporation’s policies during the pandemic. This includes the Joplin Regional Airport and Joplin’s public transportation service with MAPS and Sunshine Lamp Trolley.

More information can be found in the City’s Response and Recovery Plan.