Here’s what you can, can’t do after stay at home orders go into effect in Kansas City
It’s just a matter of hours before the stay at home order goes into effect for Kansas City and its surrounding counties in an effort to stop the spread of the novel coronavirus.
The order, which goes into effect at 12:01 a.m. Tuesday, however, doesn’t mean residents will have to lock themselves inside and not emerge for 30 days. People will still be able to get out and do activities that are essential to health and safety of themselves, family members and friends.
That means you can still go grocery shopping, seek medical care, care for a family member and friends, go to work at an essential business, get mail and exercise outdoors.
“You are not precluded from outdoor activity,” Kansas City Mayor Quinton Lucas said Sunday. “Indeed it is important in many ways, health professionals tell us, for mental health.”
It’s important that you maintain social distancing, Lucas said. Parents will also need to make sure their children also follow the social distancing rules, staying 6 feet from other people.
“We are not requiring everybody to be inside all the time,” Lucas said. “You can get out. You can get fresh air.”
“As community spread of COVID-19 continues throughout our region, we are taking aggressive action to flatten the curve and protect our most vulnerable brothers and sisters,” Lucas said in an email.
“I understand the financial and emotional toll this virus has taken on Kansas City families and businesses, and I am working my hardest to create every opportunity possible to ease some of this financial burden. We have suspended all water and electricity shut-offs and have issued a moratorium on evictions, but I know our work for those struggling most continues.”
Besides Kansas City and Jackson County, similar orders have been issued in Johnson, Wyandotte and Leavenworth counties in Kansas and Clay, Platte and Cass counties in Missouri.
On Monday morning, Lucas referred to a FAQ on the city’s website that answers the most frequently asked questions about the order.
One of the answers was aimed at businesses to help them decide if they qualify as “essential” as defined in the emergency order. The major categories of essential business defined in the order include:
▪ Health care, including doctors, dentists, nurses, hospitals, pharmacies, medical research facilities and labs.
▪ Food and drink production and distribution, including grocery stores, markets, restaurants offering carry out and liquor stores.
▪ Sanitation, including laundromats, dry cleaners, household and business cleaning services and supply stores.
▪ Transportation, including public transit, private transportation providers, railroads, airports and gas stations;
▪ Financial Services, including banks, insurance provides and professional services required to comply with legal and regulatory requirements.
▪ Manufacturing and distribution of supplies and materials for essential businesses, including trucking and other supply chain support functions.
▪ Maintenance and construction of infrastructure and households.
▪ Child care.
▪ Essential government operations.
▪ Residential facilities, including hotels and motels.
▪ Media and communications providers.
▪ Mailing, shipping and delivery services.
Tanning studios and nail and hair salons as well as other businesses that provide personal services are not classified as essential. Also, gyms, workout facilities and golf courses are not considered essential either, according to the FAQ.
Kansas City’s full stay-at-home order can be found at kcmo.gov. The city’s KC BizCare also has resources to help businesses.
The KC Pet Project says on its website that because it operates the KC Campus for Animal Care, which is the animal shelter for Kansas City, it is an essential service and will will remain open.
All non-essential staff in the shelter have been asked to work remotely. It has closed its Zona Rosa Adoption Center and Petco Adoption Centers.
Meanwhile, Wayside Waifs in south Kansas City closed the shelter to the public on March 16 and said Monday on Twitter that it had ceased scheduling adoption appointments.
Non-essential businesses can continue operations if employees can work from home. Those businesses can also continue minimum necessary activities to maintain inventory and buildings, ensure security, process payroll and employee benefits and aid employees working remotely.
Violations will be considered misdemeanor offenses, punishable by a $500 fine and up to 6 months in jail, as well as business closure orders.
“What we are not looking to do is be punitive,” Lucas said Sunday. “I hope that most people, and I believe most people will, actually voluntarily comply and do what we like to call self-policing.”
The city will reach out to businesses and individuals that it knows are in violation of the order, Lucas said.
In Kansas City, the fire marshal, regulated industries division and the police will enforce the order.
This story was originally published March 23, 2020 at 2:56 PM.
