FRANKLIN COUNTY, Mo. — Movie theaters, golf courses and gyms in Franklin County will be some of the businesses allowed to reopen starting Friday, more than a week before Missouri's stay-at-home order is scheduled to end.
Franklin County Presiding Commissioner Tim Brinker made the announcement Tuesday in a YouTube video posted to the county's Facebook page. In the video, Brinker said the businesses can reopen starting midnight Friday — meaning overnight Friday into Saturday — but will still need to abide by Missouri's social distancing and social gathering limits of 10 people or fewer.
"We must allow for businesses to thrive and for people to choose," he said in the video.
The full list of businesses listed in the announcement are:
- golf courses
- movie theaters
- concert halls
- gymnasiums
- exercise and fitness studios
- bowling alleys
- skating rinks
Additionally, Brinker said the county government returned to full staffing on Monday and is prepared to reopen all government facilities on May 1.
Brinker's announcement came after a Tuesday morning phone call with Missouri Governor Mike Parson.
Brinker said they discussed the parameters for reopening more businesses when Missouri's statewide stay-at-home order is lifted on May 4. He said Parson assured him details like the distance between seats at bars and restaurants and employee protections would be figured out by Friday.
Franklin County has 105 confirmed cases of COVID-19 and 10 deaths as of April 21.