Coronavirus
Kansas City area enacts sweeping coronavirus ban for restaurants, meetings, schools
Most of the Kansas City area will ban gatherings of more than 10 people, close movie theaters and prohibit restaurants from offering dine-in service, several jurisdictions announced Monday evening.
Kansas City Mayor Quinton Lucas took the plunge first, expanding his emergency declaration. Later that evening, a coalition of officials in Jackson, Johnson and Wyandotte counties announced similar steps. On Tuesday, Clay and Platte counties joined in.
Lucas also announced sweeping school closures in conjunction with the 14 districts that lie entirely or partially in Kansas City limits.
In Johnson County, Public Health Officer Joseph LeMaster also ordered all schools closed through April 5. But that was superseded on Tuesday when Kansas Gov. Laura Kelly announced schools would instead be closed for the rest of the semester.
Missouri Gov. Mike Parson was scheduled to give an address Tuesday night, but it was unclear beforehand whether he would have schools in his state take similar measures.
The announcements follow ever-stricter federal guidance to limit the spread of the novel coronavirus. Earlier Monday, President Donald Trump’s administration recommended limiting group gatherings to no more than 10 people.
Lucas’ announcement was the third in a series of tightening restrictions he has imposed through emergency declaration to react to COVID-19. The steps mirror mayoral actions in other major U.S. cities.
In a statement, Lucas said his administration doesn’t take the decision lightly.
“We understand these drastic measures will have unprecedented impacts on our local businesses and working families and recognize that this is one of the most challenging periods our city and nation has ever faced,” Lucas said. “I know for certain that our residents will band together during this period of crisis to offer assistance and support to each other.”
Shortly after Lucas’ statement, Johnson, Jackson and Wyandotte counties also announced the restrictions on gatherings, restaurants and movie theaters.
Some exemptions are allowed in the counties: governmental and judicial functions, health care facilities, private business operations, religious and faith-based activities, weddings and funerals.
Kansas City proper is not exempting weddings or funerals and is seeking guidance on what to do about religious and faith-based organizations, Lucas’ spokeswoman, Morgan Said, said.
Schools closing
According to Said, Lucas had a conference call with leaders of the city’s 14 school districts, who committed to the school closures.
Those 14 districts have committed to remaining closed until April 3, said Kenny Southwick, executive director of the Cooperating School Districts of Greater Kansas City.
The group includes 31 districts, but the agreement covers only the 14 with some portion inside Kansas City boundaries, such as Kansas City Public Schools, North Kansas City, Liberty, Raytown, Lee’s Summit and Center.
“I believe that the majority of the other districts in our region will also follow this arrangement,” Southwick said.
On its website, Lee’s Summit lays out the restrictions: “During this time all extracurricular activities, athletics, after school events, and student and staff travel is cancelled. Before and After School Services also are cancelled in Lee’s Summit. The district will continue to monitor the situation and will let families know whether school will resume after April 3 or extend the closure.”
The Cooperating School Districts group agreed with Lucas that “this was a difficult decision in light of the problems this will create for children and families in our community, but the districts acted together in order to try to save lives,” he said.
Each district will separately determine how to serve students academically and with meal service.
Kansas City Public Schools, which is currently on spring break, will mail packets of school work home to students, officials said Monday. The district is working to set up sites where students can pick up free meals, said spokeswoman Kelly Wachel, and meals will be delivered to those who have no way to get to the sites. Information will be available on the district’s website.
Independence and Fort Osage districts had previously announced they would close until March 30.
In Johnson County, the Shawnee Mission school district had sent a message to parents saying the district is “engaged in planning on how to manage this closure, including contingencies for how to respond if the closure extends beyond April 3.”
Restaurant restrictions
Effective 12:01 a.m. Tuesday, Restaurants are barred from serving dine-in patrons but will be allowed to fulfill delivery, carryout and drive-thru service.
“We all run on such thin margins,” said Colby Garrelts, who co-owns Rye restaurants and Bluestem with his wife, Megan, in Kansas City and Leawood. “I’m terrified.
“I’m so worried for staff. We have very young people who work for us who don’t have a lot. They have no access to money for basic needs. I have a girl who is on maternity leave right now, one income. I don’t know how some people are going to get through this.”
“Everyone talks about this curve is going to end, but we have some people hanging by a thread. The damage has already been done.”
This month, Bistro 303 in Westport has been proactive in sanitizing tables and restrooms “overly frequently,” said co-owner Jeffrey Schmitz.
The new restrictions are in effect until April 1, but the city will re-evaluate to see if they should be extended.
“Just tell me what you need me to do so I can figure out what I need to do for my employees. So I can get them paid and keep a roof over their heads. They are terrified,” he said.
“It’s going to take a hit on me to pay my employees. If it goes to a month I would rather know now than later.”
In a Facebook Live video shortly after the announcement, Lucas said the city was looking for ways to provide relief to businesses and workers hurt by the economic slowdown associated with the coronavirus, including bridge grants and loans.
“I promise at the end of all of this to go out to a bar or restaurant every single night for the rest of my term because this is going to have a huge impact,” he said. “We hope that steps we take now allow us to not have to deal with this for months and instead we’re dealing with this for just a few weeks.”
Lucas also barred visits to nursing homes, retirement communities and long-term care facilities — a move many of those facilities have done on their own. He urged employers to let “non-essential” employees work from home and required entire households to self-quarantine if anyone in the home tests positive for COVID-19. If anyone has symptoms consistent with COVID-19, such as a fever or dry cough, he “strongly encouraged” the household to self quarantine.
To find out more about Kansas City’s response to the coronavirus, you can text “COVIDKC” to 888-777 or visit the city’s website at kcmo.gov/coronavirus. The federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has information at cdc.gov/coronavirus, and the Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services has a hotline at 877-435-8411.
Includes reporting by The Star’s Joyce Smith, Mará Rose Williams and Sarah Ritter.
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