While COVID-19 cases have stabilized in Joplin since the mask mandate was implemented one month ago debate continues among its residents. KRPS’s Fred Fletcher-Fierro has more.

Sunday May 22nd 2011, and Thursday November 19th are two days that residents of Joplin will long remember. The first, a devastating tornado in the city that killed 161 people, the second date, when the Joplin City Council voted 6 to 3 to put a second mask order in place that extends until the end of February 2021. Resident Rodney Noran compared the mask mandate to Nazi-era Germany Monday night at the city council meeting, “The media was taken over by the dispense of Hitler messages and propaganda. Our media, our, new media only spouts one side of the agenda, not both sides of the agenda.” The day the city council voted in favor of mask order the city was averaging just over 50 new cases per day, 3-weeks later, the rolling 7-day average is just above 37. As of Wednesday, the Joplin health department reported 316 active cases. The death toll due to COVID-19 in Joplin is now at 71. For K R P S, I’m Fred Fletcher-Fierro in Webb City