Kansas county requiring most residents to wear masks in indoor public spaces

(AP) - A Kansas county in the Kansas City area is requiring most residents to wear masks in indoor public spaces and on public transportation. Wyandotte County's mandate is a response to the spread of the more contagious COVID-19 delta variant. The county commission approved the mask mandate Thursday night on an 8-2 vote, and The Kansas City Star reports that it took effect immediately. The commission imposed the requirement for county residents above the age of 5 but exempted the small towns of Bonner Springs and Edwardsville. The delta variant has caused new COVID-19 cases to rise steadily in Wyandotte County and across Kansas over the past six weeks.