A face mask mandate will continue in Dubuque. In a unanimous vote Monday, the Dubuque City Council voted to receive and file a petition submitted by local group UnMask DBQ, which demanded the repeal of the city’s ordinance mandating that residents wear face coverings while out in public indoors, or outdoors when social distancing is not possible. Council members approved the mandate in early August in an effort to limit the spread of COVID-19. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the World Health Organization advocate for the effectiveness of wearing face masks as a means of reducing the spread of COVID-19. Nichole Weber, of UnMask DBQ, spoke before the City Council Monday and argued that the local mandate has done little to curb the spread of the disease while negatively impacting many residents.
