Mizzou COVID-19 surge leads to bar, restaurant limits as Kansas campuses combat virus
Health officials in Columbia and Boone County, home to the University of Missouri, have ordered bars and restaurants to stop serving alcohol at 9 p.m. after seeing a large jump in new COVID-19 cases among college-age people.
Entertainment venues were also ordered to closed at 10 p.m., according to the order that was announced Friday morning. The orders modifying the area’s reopening plan go into effect at 12 p.m. Friday and are set to expire on Sept. 17, unless extended, rescinded or modified.
The positivity rate for Boone County residents tested for the coronavirus during the week of Aug. 20 was 36.1%, said Stephanie Browning, director of Columbia/Boone County Public Health and Human Services. The average number of new cases among the college-age population jumped more than 220% in the seven days ending Thursday when compared to the previous week.
Hospitalizations also increased to a current high of 43 patients.
Mizzou reported 306 active student cases as of Friday. That’s an increase from Monday, when classes started and MU began reported 159 cases. On Thursday, the school suspended all in-person activities at Greek chapter houses on and off campus.
Coronavirus infections are also rising in Greek life at the University of Kansas and Kansas State University.
On Friday, KU reported the positive rate among fraternity and sorority students is 10.01%, compared to 2.18% for the university as a whole. Overall, KU has reported 474 positive cases from 21,719 tests of faculty, staff, and students. In Greek life, 270 positive results have been reported out of 2,698 tests. All students were required to get tested ahead of the start of classes this week.
“These same kids who are in these fraternities and sororities, or mass gathering in dorms, who will be going back out to other communities … we just can’t have them become super-spreaders,” Kansas Gov. Laura Kelly said Friday.
In Manhattan, health officials on Friday listed four K-State sororities as the source of new coronavirus outbreaks in Riley County, where a record 136 new coronavirus cases were reported.
In Columbia, Browning issued the orders in an effort to control the spread of the coronavirus throughout the county.
During a press conference Friday morning, Browning said the modifications to the reopening plan were due to a steady daily increase in COVID-19 cases, including 83 new cases reported Thursday.
Under the orders, restaurants and bars have to stop selling alcohol at 9 p.m. and close no later than 10 p.m. They may continue to conduct curbside pickup and delivery of food after 10 p.m. Restaurants that do not serve alcohol are not required to close at 10 p.m.
Any entertainment venues that serve alcohol must stop serving alcohol at 9 p.m. also.
Entertainment venues can continue to operate with 100 people or less, provided they submit a plan to health officials. They are also required to:
- Close dance floors to dancing, although they can be repurposed for table seating or other uses approved by health officials.
- Limit the consumption of food and beverages to those seated.
- Limit seating to maximum of 10 people per table and socially distance the tables.
- Require anyone not seated to comply with face mask requirements, which are required within Columbia city limits and strongly encouraged within Boone County.
Health officials are also limiting public and private gatherings to a maximum of 20 people and requiring those in attending to social distance and comply with face mask requirements.
Any large group event held at a business or institution open to the public is limited to the lesser of 50% occupancy or 100 people. This includes events at hotels, conference and event centers and churches.
To allow for more social distancing, health officials are encouraging businesses to operate at a capacity less than otherwise permitted. They are also encouraged to provide services remotely including curbside pickup and delivery.
Kansas Gov.: Can’t let students become ‘super-spreaders’
Kelly on Friday said she welcomed the decision of local health officials to quarantine nine University of Kansas fraternities and sororities to prevent the spread of COVID-19.
The Lawrence-Douglas County Health Department on Wednesday placed nine Greek chapter houses under quarantine, an extraordinary decision coming after data showed students in Greek life testing positive for the virus at rates higher than the overall student population. The health department also issued an order in July closing bars.
“That’s clearly the kind of environment that will create problems — we know it. I’m glad they did what they did,” Kelly told reporters in Topeka after an unrelated event.
The Democratic governor indicated prevention that includes accountability is critical, “because we just can’t let this continue to happen.”
Kelly’s comments come at the end of a volatile week for the KU Greek community. Last weekend, video of an angry exchange between a motorist and members of a fraternity went viral and the university issued public health bans to members of two fraternities.
Health officials then placed nine chapter houses under quarantine on Wednesday, although two houses were taken off the list and one was added on Thursday after further investigation.
K-State sorority outbreaks
Health officials on Friday announced 22 positive cases at Alpha Delta Pi (6), Alpha Xi Delta (6), Chi Omega (5) and Kappa Delta (5).
News of the K-State sorority outbreaks came on the same day when Riley County reported a record 136 new coronavirus cases, which is exactly double the previous high increase.
All residents of any Greek house where an outbreak has been declared should quarantine for two weeks, county officials said in their news release. Residents may return to their permanent homes to complete the quarantine period if they prefer. The quarantine time period begins for all of the residents on the date when the outbreak is declared.
“The leaders of local fraternities and sororities are cooperating with health department staff, but we have concerns that the safety messages are not reaching all of the members,” local health officer Julie Gibbs said. “It is imperative that anyone who has had close contact with a positive patient, or who is sick, remains in quarantine or isolation and takes personal responsibility for their actions.”
A K-State football official confirmed earlier on Friday that seven members of Wildcats team also tested positive for COVID-19 this week. But the team intends to continue practicing for its season opener against Arkansas State on Sept. 12 as originally scheduled.
Local health officials also took new measures to slow the spread of COVID-19 in Riley County by revoking or canceling all event permits associated with any fraternity and sorority organizations between Aug. 27 and Sept. 10.
“Fraternity and sorority members must take individual responsibility to assure the health of their community and Manhattan,” said Jordan Kocher, Director of Fraternity and Sorority Life at K-State. “While our chapters have their health and safety protocols, now is the time for individuals to mirror their behavior to their values. It is our expectation that members participate in contact tracing, stay in quarantine or isolation when instructed to do so, and obtain testing if recommended. Action will be taken should chapters ignore local health orders and community policies; individual member action will be reported to chapter leadership and/or their international organizations.”
This story was originally published August 28, 2020 at 10:23 AM.
