Back in July, the physicians and nurses who comprise the Missouri State Medical Association and the Missouri Nurses Association, joined together to urge Missouri Gov. Mike Parson to implement a statewide masking requirement.

That request was over 200,000 cases ago and we are in a much more precarious situation than we were in back this summer.

Our organizations remain in favor of a statewide mask requirement; however, due to Parson’s hesitancy in implementing such an order, we sent him a letter presenting some other mitigation techniques that have been successful in other states. We hope Parson may find these actions more palatable:

• We ask Parson to wear a mask in public at all times to emphasize the personal responsibility mantra he has mentioned repeatedly during press conferences and on his social media accounts;

• Encourage citizens to stay home, regardless of whether they feel sick or have symptoms, and to only go places outside their homes when absolutely necessary, including limit…