Lycoming County commissioners had no sooner agreed to extend the county’s Declaration of Disaster Emergency with the state before arguing about COVID-19 guidelines, particularly with regard to wearing masks.

The official declaration helps the county remain eligible for government funding for issues related to the coronavirus.

“I think this is great we extend this,” Commissioner Rick Mirabito said.

He then noted how people in some places of the world are being moved from congregate living areas to hotels to better protect them from COVID-19.

“I am wondering if we are doing everything we can in line with our own declaration,” he said.

Last week, county officials announced that the wearing of masks in county buildings is now optional, but Mirabito said they should be required.

Masks, he noted, are preventive measures for keeping in check the spread of coronavirus.

“I know we are living in a rural county where you don’t see many cases. I always think it’s better to err on the side of caution,” he said.

Commissioner Tony Mussare noted there was a huge difference between a rural, sparsely populated county such as Lycoming and cities such as New York, Philadelphia and Pittsburgh.

“I don’t have an issue with wearing a mask, but many people do. Why is it that people don’t want to wear a mask?” he said. “Some people may feel their constitutional rights are taken away.”

Mussare noted the social unrest throughout the nation, with statues torn down, police shot at and businesses destroyed by “thugs.”

He suggested that perhaps the refusal to wear masks represents a means of protest.

Mirabito responded that masks help protect those most vulnerable to infection.

Mussare asked if coronavirus really infects any more people than a “regular flu.”

He noted the dire economic conditions as a result of the response to COVID-19.

“Nothing makes sense and I’m not even sure the masks make sense any more,” he said.

Metzger referred to masks as a controversial issue. In the meantime, he said, people are at odds with each other because they don’t agree on something.

He cited statistics that reveal the decreasing growth of COVID-19 cases in most states as well as Lycoming County.

“We are trying to move back to normal, and we don’t have that direction from the state,” he said. “Are masks the solution? I am not absolutely sure.”

He said the county will continue to monitor the coronavirus issue.

Mirabito said perhaps coronavirus numbers are decreasing in the state because of Gov. Wolf’s actions.

The declaration noted the 82,168 confirmed and/or presumed positive cases of COVID-19 in the state as of June 22. In addition, it cited the 173 presumed or positive cases in the county, which have included 22 deaths as of June 20.

The declaration directs the county’s emergency management agency to “coordinate the activities of the emergency response, to take all appropriate action needed to alleviate the effects of this disaster, to aid in the restoration of essential public service, and to take any other emergency response actions deemed necessary to respond to this disaster emergency.”