By John Estridge
Franklin County Commissioner Tom Wilson read a statement concerning the county’s policy on masks into the official record near the end of their meeting Tuesday, August 10.
It essentially said conditions concerning COVID in Franklin County do not match other places in the country, and commissioners believe individuals should make health choices about themselves and their children.
“The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) and Prevention recently came out with new guidelines regarding mask wearing. The CDC also called for all children to wear masks in school. The new CDC guidelines reflect circumstances that exist in other places that are different from the conditions experienced in Franklin County, Indiana.
“In dealing with local conditions related to the pandemic, our local authorities should exercise common sense. In Franklin County, we believe health decisions are best made by individuals, not national health agencies.
“Each individual should decide whether a mask provides them with the protection that they desire. In Franklin County, Indiana, persons who wish to be vaccinated have plenty of opportunities to do so. Similarly, we respect the right of individuals to choose whether to wear a mask and whether to be vaccinated.
“Although we understand the federal and state agencies have a role to play in providing information to citizens regarding the pandemic, we do not support governmental mandates and orders regarding how individuals choose to move forward.
“We respect the authority of our local school boards and their citizen members to make decisions regarding the re-entry of students to our schools, but we continue to believe that parents are in the best position to make medical decisions for their children and that these parents’ rights should be strongly considered as such decisions are made by our local school boards.
“We believe that given the amount of information available regarding COVID-19, our citizens can make intelligent decisions about what is best for them and their families. We will continue to do everything within our power to see that necessary services for testing and vaccination are made available to everyone in Franklin County.”
It is signed by all three commissioners.
Wilson said Margaret Mary Hospital in Batesville was recently contacted by the commissioners and that facility did not have any individuals at that facility being treated for COVID.
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