KANSAS CITY, MO. — Kansas City, Missouri, Mayor Quinton Lucas said Thursday he is extending the city’s state of emergency through Jan. 16, 2021, due to the ongoing coronavirus pandemic.
In a release Thursday afternoon, Lucas said he worked with the KCMO Health Department Director Dr. Rex Archer in extending the state of emergency.
“Until there’s a widely available vaccine, COVID-19 is here to stay—with serious potential health consequences for those infected,” Lucas said in the release. “Mask-wearing, social distancing and basic hygiene continue to be the most effective way to mitigate the spread of COVID-19, and we appreciate all who take their personal responsibility to protect their family, friends and neighbors seriously.”
READ: Updated Emergency Proclamation
Face coverings will continue to be required in public places or anywhere where social distancing is difficult.
Bars and taverns will also continue to operate at 50 percent maximum capacity.
Exceptions to the face-covering requirements include:
- Minors, with strong guidance from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the Kansas City Health Department that children over aged two wear face coverings.
- People who have disabilities that:
- Prevent them from comfortably wearing or taking off face coverings.
- Prevent them from communicating while wearing face coverings.
- People who have respiratory conditions or breathing trouble.
- People who have been told by a medical, legal, or behavioral health professional not to wear face coverings.
- People who are seated in a restaurant or tavern and are actively engaged in consuming food or drink while adequately distanced from other patrons.
