UPDATE: 9:30 p.m. | Jackson County, Missouri, is the latest entity to prohibit gatherings of 50 or more people, following new guidelines from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
The CDC made the Sunday night, and in less than three hours Jackson County Executive Frank White Jr. amended an executive order to fit the new guidelines in response to the coronavirus pandemic.
“We have reached an important point of this public health crisis,” White said in a news release. “Everyone plays a significant role to reduce the transmission of this virus and now is the time to be vigilant. We remain committed to working diligently alongside our public health experts as we take every action necessary to protect the health and well-being of those who are most at risk to COVID-19.”
Day-to-day operations of schools, businesses and education institutions do not fall under the guidelines, according to a news release.
As of Sunday night, no COVID-19 cases had originated in the county.
ORIGINAL STORY | On the heels of guidelines from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, local and state officials are echoing the call to limit public gatherings.
Earlier Sunday night, the CDC issued a recommendation to limit public gatherings to no more than 50 people for the next two months.
Kansas City, Missouri Mayor Quinton Lucas tweeted Sunday night that no gatherings or events with 50 or more people would “be allowed” in the city through mid-May.
Under the authority of Mayor Lucas’s State of Emergency proclamation, and per new @CDCgov guidance, no events or gatherings with 50 or more attendees will be allowed in Kansas City for the next eight weeks. #COVIDー19 #KCMO
— Mayor Quinton Lucas (@MayorLucasKC) March 16, 2020
Moments later, Missouri Gov. Mike Parson said his administration would “strongly urge” the cancellation of public gatherings greater than 50 people. Parson’s recommendations exempted schools, day cares and businesses.
In accordance with @CDCgov recommendations, my administration and I strongly urge the cancellation or suspension of public gatherings of >50 with the exception of educational institutions, daycare facilities, & business operations.
— Governor Mike Parson (@GovParsonMO) March 16, 2020
🔗https://t.co/Ik6PeOirJs pic.twitter.com/CiprcZ9aP9
Earlier in the evening, St. Louis Mayor Lyda Krewson made a similar order.
Effective immediately and for the next eight weeks, all scheduled events and social gatherings with more than 50 people in attendance are prohibited in @STLCityGov, @SaintLouCo, @sccmo, @madisoncountyil & @stclairhealth, as recommended by the @CDCgov. #COVID19
— Mayor Lyda Krewson (@LydaKrewson) March 15, 2020
Independence, Missouri Mayor Eileen Weir also made similar recommendations.
