To limit coronavirus spread, Kansas City mayor suspends all gatherings of 50 or more
Mayor Quinton Lucas has suspended all gatherings of 50 or more people in Kansas City for the next eight weeks, he announced on Twitter Sunday night.
The announcement extended and enhanced a 21-day emergency declaration he issued last week, barring gatherings of more than 1,000 attendees in an attempt to limit the spread of the novel coronavirus, or COVID-19. The order would not apply to schools, businesses or daycare facilities.
Lucas’ announcement conforms with new recommendations issued earlier Sunday by the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
In its guidance, the CDC said large gatherings could contribute to the spread of coronavirus and cited several examples of events that could be issues, including conferences, parades and sporting events. The CDC recommended all such events, whether held by organizations or individuals, be canceled for the next eight weeks.
Missouri Gov. Mike Parson, in a statement Sunday, recommended the same thing statewide.
“We encourage local governments and health agencies to provide the same guidance,” Parson said in the statement. “To protect our elderly citizens and those with underlying medical conditions, we would ask them to avoid public gatherings as much as possible.”
Independence Mayor Eileen Weir announced the same, saying she and other Missouri mayors had consulted with Parson to make a “’joint announcement.”
“This is not a decision we take lightly and know that it will greatly impact the daily lives of many of our citizens, visitors and the many people who work within Independence,” Weir said.
Also on Sunday, Johnson County confirmed its sixth case of coronavirus, and Kansas Gov. Laura Kelly and state education officials recommended public schools suspend operations this week.
This story was originally published March 15, 2020 at 8:10 PM.
