“Hours after health officials in St. Louis announced they would reinstate a mask mandate amid rising COVID-19 cases and hospitalizations, the state’s attorney general said he planned to challenge it,” reports ABCNews.

“On Friday, officials for the city and county of St. Louis said residents ages 5 and up will be required to wear masks in indoor public places and on public transportation starting Monday, regardless of vaccination status. Wearing masks outdoors in groups will be strongly encouraged under the new order, which includes exceptions while eating and drinking in restaurants and bars, and for people with disabilities.”

“”The citizens of St. Louis and St. Louis County are not subjects — they are free people,” [said Missouri Attorney General and notorious MAGA shitwad Eric Schmitt, a co-signor of the lawsuit from Texas AG Ken Paxton to block certification of the 2020 Presidential election] . “As their Attorney General I’ll be filing suit Monday to stop this insanity.”

“St. Louis County Councilman Tim Fitch has also said he plans to challenge the mask mandate. Last month, Missouri enacted a new law allowing local governing bodies to halt public health orders at any time through a majority vote.”

St. Louis rescinded it’s mask order in Mid-May, in accord with changes to CDC guidance. “In the weeks since, COVID-19 cases have surged in Missouri, as the highly transmissible delta variant has rapidly spread. The rate of new cases in St. Louis County has increased to 20.9 cases per 100,000 per day — as high as the rate seen in early February “when we were still coming out of the enormous winter surge,” according to a report published Thursday by the county’s public health department. COVID-19 hospitalizations have also increased by 45% between July 6 and July 19.”