Coffey County’s top health officer, Dr. John Shell, resigned following a decision by the county commission to opt out of Gov. Laura Kelly’s mask mandate, reported the Coffey County Republican.
Shell was also the county’s health officer and coroner, and had been serving in those roles for 15 years.
Shell said, “I recommended to the commission that we follow the governor’s mandate as I felt it was best for our citizens. When they opted out I didn’t feel I could stand by that decision as it would be hypocritical to my stance. I had volunteered in that capacity for 15 years but didn’t feel I could support decisions which did not prioritize our citizen’s health.”
Shell said he plans to continue practicing medicine, and has received significant support from the community for his decision, including a social media campaign where people are posting “I’m with Dr. Shell.”
After the resignation, what followed was a chain of disruptions in care for residents across the county and beyond. The health department has canceled appointments as well as cut services.
The health department also said that until a new medical consultant is named, they cannot administer physicals, provide immunizations, or test for COVID-19.
