Health director recommends mask mandate for Douglas County

OMAHA, Neb — Douglas County Health Director Dr. Lindsay Huse recommended a temporary mask mandate for Douglas County on Tuesday.

Huse said Tuesday that a request was sent to the Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services for a directed health measure that would require masks in most indoor settings in Nebraska's most populous county.

The requirement would be for most people over five years old. She said the mandate would be in effect until community transmission drops below a substantial level and eight weeks have passed since the vaccine is approved for kids 5 to 11 years old.

If approved by the state, the mandate could go into effect by Wednesday, but state approval is not guaranteed, as the state has never approved a mask mandate.

If denied by the state, the Omaha City Council could take up the issue, but unless it's an emergency resolution, it wouldn't go into effect until early October.