On Monday, Park County’s health officer was preparing a public health order that, if approved by state officials, would require people to wear masks in certain public settings in Park County. No official announcement had been made as of press time, but the proposal would reportedly be similar to mandates previously issued in Albany, Laramie and Teton counties.

“EVERY state that has a mask requirement in public when social distancing is not possible, is doing better than we are (both in new cases and deaths),”  County Health Officer Dr. Aaron Billin had written in a Sunday Facebook post.

Billin distributed a letter — signed by himself, other county health officers, the Wyoming Medical Society and the Wyoming Hospital Association — calling on Gov. Mark Gordon to issue a statewide mask mandate. The letter says a statewide order would send “a more powerful and effective message” than county-level mandates and that “expedited implementation is paramount.”

“In addition,” the medical professionals wrote, “if we can slow the spread of COVID-19 we can hopefully also prevent another lockdown and speed our economic recovery.”

At a Friday news conference, Gordon said he was considering a mask mandate, along with other efforts to try to get the virus’ spread under control.

“We’ve relied on personal responsibility throughout this pandemic. So ask yourself, has that really been working?” he said, noting the soaring case numbers.

Gordon indicated he would make a decision about added restrictions soon.

Some people “think somehow that this is all nonsense,” the governor added at one point. “Well, ask yourself, look around, everybody knows somebody now who’s been sick with it. Some of them have permanent disabilities because of it.”

He added that, “with these trends, there’s a lot of people that may not be there for Christmas. So it’s time again, Wyoming, that we wake up.”

—By CJ Baker