ST. LOUIS COUNTY, Mo. (WAND)- St. Louis County has issued a new public health order on masks, effective immediately.
The new health order issued by acting health director Dr. Faisal Khan was announced Monday morning, according to WAND affiliate KSDK.
When asked about why he thinks this order will stand, St. Louis County Executive Sam Page said that this mandate follows the guidance of the legal team and the judge's orders and says the County Council does not plan to oppose the mandate.
Originally, St. Louis County went into a mask mandate on July 26. On the same day, Missouri Attorney General Eric Schmitt filed a lawsuit to stop the mandate, which was later repealed by the St. Louis County Council on July 27.
Despite the council's vote, the battle was taken to the courts as Page continued to proclaimed the mandate was still in effect.
According to reports, on August 3, the St. Louis County circuit court granted a temporary restraining order, which halted the mask mandate placed by the St. Louis County Department of Public Health and Page.
Both sides returned to court on August 17, and the following day, Circuit Judge Nellie Ribaudo granted a preliminary injunction that prevented St. Louis County health officials and the county executive from enforcing the mask mandate for the time being.
On Monday, Sept. 27, the St. Louis County Circuit Judge ruled to keep in place a temporary injunction against enforcement of St. Louis County's mask mandate after the administration of County Executive Sam Page argued it should be dissolved, and a lawsuit filed by Missouri Attorney General Eric Schmitt dismissed.
St. Louis County Circuit Court Judge Nellie Ribaudo decided that although the county council last month voiced support for a mask mandate from Page dating to July 26, passing a resolution that purported to extend it, that mandate had already expired due to a new state law.
A hearing on whether to grant a permanent injunction against the mandate is set for Oct. 18.
