KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Platte County is rolling back its stay-at-home order, which had been extended to May 15, and will permit some businesses to reopen May 4 but under stricter guidelines than the state's reopening plan.
According to an amended stay-at-home order signed Tuesday by Platte County Health Department Director Mary Jo Vernon, the timing is in line with Gov. Mike Parson’s order to reopen the state economy next Monday, but there will continue to be tighter restrictions on businesses for Platte County.
That includes a continued prohibition of mass gatherings, including church services, weddings, funerals and graduations. But stores will begin to reopen, or at least have the option to reopen, beginning Monday.
Vernon’s order generally follows state guidance for non-grocery retail stores.
Businesses, excluding restaurants, with less that 10,000 square feet may have no more than 25% of authorized fire or building code occupancy in the store at a given time, while businesses larger than 10,000 square feet must have 10% or less the number of customers based on the same occupancy standard.
All businesses are required to collect the names and phone numbers of all persons, including customers, who enter the store “in the event contact tracing of positive COVID-19 patients becomes necessary,” according to the amended order.
Businesses also must create a safety plan to ensure that the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s social-distancing guidelines are followed.
Restaurants can continue offering delivery, drive-thru and curbside pickup services, but there will continue to be restrictions on dining-in, which is only allowed if four criteria are followed:
- Restaurants must adhere to social-distancing guidelines;
- Tables must be spaced at least six feet apart with no more than 10 people at any single table or group of tables;
- Restaurants must submit a written safety plan to the Platte County Health Department via email to reopenplan@plattehealth.com or other electronic means that meets “ the guidelines established and published by the Platte County Health Department;”
- A plan summary for employees and customers must be posted near the front door or front entrance of the restaurants and subject to spot inspections by the Platte County Health Department.
Schools will remain closed, per state order, and mass gatherings — “any private or public gathering for secular or non-secular purposes of 10 or more individuals in a location where physical interaction is possible, whether spontaneous or scheduled” — still aren’t permitted.
Based on continued test results, community tracing and hospital-readiness, the Platte County Health Department will continue to review its rules on large crowds on an ongoing basis, according to the amended order.
The amended order remains in effect through May 31.
Kansas City, Missouri, which is partially located in Platte County, remains under a stay-at-home order through May 15. Businesses that operate with KCMO city limits will remain subject to that extended order, a spokesperson for Mayor Quinton Lucas’ office told 41 Action News.
Clay and Cass counties announced similar decisions to reopen May 4, though with fewer ongoing restrictions for businesses than Platte County.
