JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (KMOX) - Missouri Gov. Mike Parson lashed out on social media after a report claims his office buried information that shows mask mandates in areas like St. Louis and Kansas City were successful. He called the reporter who wrote the story a "embarrassment that he pretends to be a journalist."
A Sunshine Law request uncovered emails showing Parson’s office had information about some success from mask mandates, but never made it public. The Missouri Independent's story was titled, "Missouri Health Department found Mask Mandates Work, but Didn’t Make Findings Public."
It compared infection and death rates in St. Louis, St. Louis County, Kansas City and Jackson County to the rest of the state and found jurisdictions with mask mandates averaged 15.8 cases per day per every 100,000 residents and the rest of the state had 21.7 cases per day per every 100,000 residents.
Parson posed a long statement to social media on Thursday evening, which in part, says "There is no definite evidence that proves mandates solely saved lives and prevented COVID-19 infections in Missouri’s biggest cities.
"Rudi Keller, a political blogger for the Missouri Independent, wrote a purposefully misleading article ... He handpicked information from a Sunshine request then took the data out of context in order to fit his narrative. He left out important information that provides context for the whole story. This type of “so called” reporting is unethical and needs to stop because it misleads the public and poses a danger to the credibility of our institutions."
Per the request of Parson's office, the state's health department analyzed data during the surge of COVID-19 cases this summer comparing ares with mask mandates to those without. According to emails uncovered by The Missouri Independent and the Documenting COVID-19 project, the study found lower rates of COVID-19 cases in areas with mask mandates.
Emails show state health director Donald Kauerauf shared that information with Parson's office on Nov. 3, just two days after the study was requested.
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"I think we can say with great confidence reviewing the public health literature and then looking at the results in your study that communities where masks were required had a lower positivity rate per 100,000 and experienced lower death rates,” Kauerauf wrote.
Emails also show that information was not part of materials the department prepared for later cabinet meetings, according to the Missouri Independent.
Kauerauf also wrote in the email, "As you stated, there are 'lots' of variables that must be considered before we can definitely assess the impact of wearing a mask (or not wearing a mask) in Missouri before and during the primary Delta period."
Parson has been in strong opposition of mask mandates, tweeting "WRONG ... Dictating mask mandates when we have the vaccine is ignoring the real solution and eroding public trust."
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