It’s been three weeks since a mask mandate began in Salina and Saline County, and the county’s top health officer believes it is a contributing factor to a trend of fewer new local cases of COVID-19.

Saline County Commissioners Tuesday heard an update on the mandate from Health Officer Jason Tiller as part of their review of the mask mandate resolution.

Tiller provided updated COVID-19 case numbers for Saline County, Kansas, and nationally. He also showed the newly launched dashboard that provides demographic information in more detail on the cases in Saline County.

Tiller noted it has been three weeks since the mask  mandate went into effect and there has been a decrease in the number of cases. He suggested the mask mandate is one of the contributing factors to that.

Tiller recommended that to keep businesses open and to get kids back to school, the mask mandate should continue.

The resolution is still in effect and will be until it is modified or repealed by the Commissioners.