KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Members of the media were removed from a Zoom conference among leaders of the CORE 4; Kansas City, Missouri, Jackson County, Wyandotte County and Johnson County, Kansas.

Those leaders are having discussions about re-implementing restrictions as a result of the continuing surge in coronavirus cases.

It’s a result of having too many unvaccinated people in a given region.

Kansas City, Missouri Mayor Quinton Lucas said he has stuck with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention guidance throughout the pandemic and that’s why he’s bringing back a mask mandate for indoor environments.

The CDC is now recommending that “virus hotspots” in the nation return to using masks because the vaccination rate remains low and the Delta variant is causing problems.

“Where we are at, to sum it up, is a scary place,” Sanmi Areola, JoCo Health & Environement Director, said. “There are so many cases that we are seeing. We did expect some surge following the recommendation that the vaccinated can go back to life like pre-pandemic., but clearly everybody did that, including those who never cooperated in any way; did not get one or feel like getting vaccinated. Still don’t, don’t think anyone needs to wear masks.”

Johnson County is the wild card and where the strongest resistance to masks is coming from.

Johnson County also has the highest vaccination rate of the four, with more than half the adult population having received their shots.