Update: St. Louis County, KC health director urge Ozarks partiers to self-quarantine
St. Louis County issued a travel advisory Monday evening after videos of crowded Lake of the Ozark pool parties showed revelers flaunting social distancing rules issued during the coronavirus pandemic.
St. Louis County’s Department of Public Health urged those who ignored the rules to self-quarantine for 14 days or until they tested negative for COVID-19.
Kansas City, however, doesn’t plan a similar travel advisory.
“As a Missourian, I was disappointed to see the scenes this weekend at the lake,” said Kansas City Mayor Quinton Lucas in a statement. “As mayor of Kansas City, I am going to stay focused on doing all we can to keep people safe here, including guidance to Kansas Citians here and elsewhere to maintain social distancing, avoid crowds, and to be smart.”
The city also didn’t plan to issue a quarantine order either, Lucas said.
“I have great respect for my peers in St. Louis County, but we have no plans to issue a quarantine order we simply cannot enforce,” he said. “I ask anyone at the lake this weekend to follow social distancing and other guidelines in place upon their return to Kansas City to limit the spread of COVID-19. If anyone suspects exposure or illness, please call a health provider immediately.“
In a tweet late Monday, Kansas City Health Director Rex Archer said anyone who didn’t practice the social distancing guidelines while at the Lake of the Ozarks should self quarantine for 14 days if they have any compassion for others.
St. Louis County executive Sam Page asked the public health department to issue the advisory as some workers would be returning to their jobs.
“This reckless behavior endangers countless people and risks setting us back substantially from the progress we have made in slowing the spread of COIVD-19,” he said in a press release. “I encourage everyone to follow the Department of Public Health advisory to determine a safe path forward in the workplace.”
Videos circulating on social media showed hundreds of people ignoring social distancing guidelines in the region’s pool and bars throughout the Memorial Day weekend. The site has ignited fears that the gatherings would cause new outbreaks of the coronavirus.
This story was originally published May 25, 2020 at 7:37 PM.
