TOPEKA, Kan. – Masks won’t be required for people entering city of Topeka buildings, except the courthouse, starting May 17.
Topeka lifted its mask requirements more than a month after Shawnee County lifted most of its mask requirements. The commission voted 2-1 on March 29 to lift the mask mandate’s authority countywide, and voted 2-1 on April 2 to lift mask requirements in county-owned buildings, except for the health department and Department of Corrections facilities.
City Manager Brent Trout said at an April 27 news conference that a handful of city staff was vaccinated weeks ago and needed until the middle of May to be considered fully vaccinated.
Local businesses can still require masks inside its buildings. COVID-19 numbers since the county lifted the mask requirement have remained steady, even with the presence of more contagious virus variants. The most recent Shawnee County COVID-19 indicator said case counts were “low.”
Local health officials said that is due to people being vaccinated, having some immunity from a previous COVID-19 infection, and following the health department’s virus mitigation recommendations.
