ST. LOUIS — Local leaders for most of the St. Louis area are suggesting new proactive measures to limit the spread of COVID-19.
According to a press release, St. Louis Mayor Lyda Krewson, St. Louis County Executive Dr. Sam Page, St. Charles County Executive Steve Ehlmann, St. Clair County, Ilinois, Board Chairman Mark Kern, and Madison County, Illinois, Board Chairman Kurt Prenzler agreed to take the following measures to prevent the spread:
- Effective immediately and for the next eight weeks, scheduled events and social gatherings with more than 50 people in attendance are prohibited across all five jurisdictions, as recommended by the CDC. This decision will be reevaluated constantly in communication with the region’s top health care professionals.
- It is recommended that by at least Wednesday, March 18, 2020, all public, private, charter, and parochial schools across all five jurisdictions close until further notice. This decision will be reevaluated by April 3.
- In Missouri, decisions regarding the mandatory closures of restaurants, bars, and nightclubs remain under consideration and are expected to be made soon.
Shortly after the new guidelines were released, 26 major school districts in the area made the decision to close schools from March 18 to April 3.
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The decision comes just hours after Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker ordered all bars and restaurants in the state to close to dine-in patrons from Monday night through March 30 as part of an effort to stop the spread of the coronavirus.
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St. Louis Treasurer Tishaura Jones announced March 16 that parking meters will be free and no tickets will be written through April 6. Penalties will also be frozen through April 15.
Also, all hearings for in-person Office of Financial Empowerment and College Kids events are suspended through April 6. Some programming may be moved online.
This story will be updated when more information becomes available.
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