Health officials say they’re responding to COVID-19. They want Gov. Parson to do same
A coalition of Missouri public health officials wants Gov. Mike Parson to order that residents can only leave their homes for medical reasons, work or to get food to help limit the spread of the novel coronavirus, according to a letter dated Friday.
The letter, obtained by The Star, was sent to Parson by the Missouri Center for Public Health Excellence, a group of public health departments representing half of the state’s population. It includes Kansas City’s health director, Rex Archer.
In the letter, the group says local officials have taken steps to protect residents from the disease, COVID-19, but that Parson must do the same. Parson’s office did not immediately return a request for comment.
“We do not take this request lightly but feel that at this time there is no other way to protect our residents and health providers without requesting that our efforts become statewide efforts,” the officials wrote.
In Kansas City, Mayor Quinton Lucas barred gatherings of more than 10 people, restricted restaurants to dine-in service and announced school closures. Counties across the metro followed with similar steps. The group wants Parson to issue similar orders statewide.
“We must take these steps to protect our citizens and the integrity of the state,” the letter says. “Already other states are limiting travel to and from states with high volume spread.”
The group asked Parson to:
▪ Provide child care, disease testing and respite care for front-line workers, including health care providers and first-responders.
▪ Restrict retail businesses to drive-thru, curb-side pickup and online orders, with the exception of grocery stores, pharmacies and gas stations.
▪ Close all schools until further notice.
▪ Bar gatherings of more than 10 people, except essential government functions.
▪ Order residents to remain at home unless they are obtaining medical care, testing or supplies; going to work; or getting food.
▪ Bar visitors from nursing homes, assisted living facilities and hospitals and screen staff members for temperature and symptoms.
“Our hospitals and community do not stand alone and we have patients coming from across the state for care and residents going to unprotected communities,” the group wrote.
Over the last week, Parson reacted to the spread of COVID-19 in Missouri by declaring a state of emergency, closing the state’s casinos, lifting certain state regulations, waiving penalties for late tax filing, moving the April 7 election to June and lifting restrictions on certain safety net programs.
But he initially seemed hesitant to take sweeping action, and more recently resisted calls to follow the lead of governors in other states to order the closure of schools, bars and restaurants or ban large gatherings.
Parson’s consistent message throughout has been that the government can only do so much to slow the outbreak.
“You’re going to hear that and hear it again, but if the people of Missouri want to protect themselves and protect their families and their loved ones, it’ll be through social distancing and using common sense and taking on personal responsibility,” Parson said Wednesday.
His critics contend Parson has been to slow to respond to an unfolding public health disaster.
“Even if you don’t believe in government,” said Rep. Greg Razer, D-Kansas City, “the government is here for a time of emergency. This is an emergency.”
Democrats point across the state line to Kansas, where Democratic Gov. Laura Kelly was the first governor in the country to order all schools closed for the rest of the academic year. She also issued an executive order restricting foreclosures and evictions during the coronavirus pandemic.
She stopped short of ordering bars, restaurants, gyms or other businesses to close, as governors in other states have, but she did issue an executive order banning gatherings of 50 or more people.
Parson has rejected calls to follow Kelly’s lead, saying decisions like these are best left to local officials. Because of this, Missouri is one of the few states that hasn’t issued statewide orders regarding schools or big gatherings.
As of Thursday afternoon, all school districts in the state had decided on their own to temporarily close, and municipalities like Kansas City have taken steps to limit foreclosures and ban large public gatherings.
As for whether he should order private businesses closed, Parson said Thursday it’s not a decision he’s taking lightly.
“Making a decision like that is easier said than done,” he said. “I don’t think it’s the right thing to do at this time. There’s a lot more that goes into the decision than simply telling businesses to close their doors.”
This story was originally published March 20, 2020 at 12:37 PM.
