In North Carolina, the governor vetoed lawmakers’ efforts to reopen skating rinks, bowling alleys, and amusement parks. In Alaska, new workplace groups are emerging, social distancing is decreasing, and contact trackers are overwhelmed. And in Kansas, state and local leaders are arguing about whether masks are required.
“At first, people who tested positive generally had a short list of close contacts,” Dr. Joe McLaughlin, Alaska state epidemiologist, said in a statement. “Now, as people mix more with each other, it’s not uncommon for someone with a positive result to have had dozens of close contacts, sometimes too many to name and call them.”
The struggles in those three states, all of which established single-day case records on Friday, exemplify the challenges facing officials across the country as cases increase. Unlike the first peak in March and April, when most places were closed, case numbers are now exploding after many Americans returned to their routines and became frustrated with the restrictions.
In Kansas, where more than 780 cases were announced Friday, residents have heard mixed messages from their leaders. This week, Governor Laura Kelly, a Democrat, ordered residents to wear masks in public. Commissioners in Sedgwick County, which includes Wichita, voted to make Ms. Kelly’s mask mandate a recommendation, not a requirement. But on Friday, the Wichita City Council met in a special meeting and approved a mask mandate, effective immediately, with the possibility of fines for those who refuse.
“We have an opportunity to avoid another closure, to ensure that our children have schools and to protect the people,” Wichita Mayor Brandon Whipple said on Twitter after the city mask rule was passed.
A similar whiplash was seen in North Carolina, where the Republican-controlled Legislature passed bills that would have reduced trade restrictions enacted by Democratic Governor Roy Cooper. But Mr. Cooper stepped in and vetoed the measures, which means that the skating rinks and bowling alleys, along with other businesses, must remain closed.
