powell county health departments

powell county health departments

Simple cloth mask has become a symbol of division across the country and in kentucky.

...but health departments...in charge of enforcing the state's mask mandate...are still trying to encourage people to wear them... simply to be good neighbors.

Abc36's monica harkins shows you how one department is reaching out to some "influencers" to help get word across...in a creative new way.

L3: abc 36 news white kevin hall lexington hethment health department whcr " kevin hall: it's here, it's spreading.

And it's not going to go away until people work together to follow the guidelines."

Kevin hall with the lexington health department is trying to normalize masks...as a priority.

"kevin hall:if you don't wear a mask of this business.

You're hurting them because they're the ones who are subjected to a fine, they're the ones who could be closed."

But how do you convince people to wear something many see as negative?

Powell county's trying a new way.

"nat sound: if you're a business owner, a farmer, or a doctor."

Video campaigns... using "influencers"... well known people in the community...to help promote masks..

"stacy crase, powell county: sometimes the opposition can get a little loud on social media" but cases are still going up.

"stacy: now, it's getting critical and we really need to bring out some gems in our community to really show that it's not just the health department saying this."

The first video focuses on the virus knowing no boundaries.

"nat of video: if you're older between."

The second...happened more organically.

Started singing in mind is.

'you got to wear your mask you see right now it's a necessity'.

And i was like, oh my gosh," it turned into this "nat popof full band:"you've go to wear your mask you see right now it's a necessity, it's not much but we'd like you try."

"chelsea: i don't know if i consider myself an influencer but, i don't know, if everybody has a voice, and if you use it to help the common good, then that's the whole purpose in having a voice and i just, oh, i choose to use the voice i have to help the people i love and care about."

"nat from video: i like to wear my mask you see, it you andilters me, the 2020 way of livin life."

### that was monica harkins reporting.

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