JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. — Gov. Mike Parson said his administration is working on guidelines on how businesses will be able to operate when the state's stay-at-home order expires and businesses are allowed to open on May 4.
Those guidelines will be "broad," so local mayors and county commissioners can make detailed decisions for their communities, Parson said during his coronavirus briefing on Thursday.
He added that anticipates little need for enforcement.
"The people of this state have stepped up," Parson said. "The people of this state will take that responsibility upon themselves."
He expects to announce the guidelines Friday.
Currently, there are 6,384 confirmed cases of COVID-19 in the state and 247 deaths and Parson said the state is ready for a potential second wave of coronavirus cases.
"We must do both. We must fight the virus and we must open the state at the same time," Parson said.
He also said it's important for the orders across the state to be as "uniform" as possible, though he knows the metropolitan areas might differ.
"We know the areas are different, if you look at St. Louis and Kansas City, they've got more problems," Parson said. "When St. Louis or Kansas City, some of them have a longer date, later they can match up."
St. Louis and St. Louis County are currently under stay-at-home orders with no end dates.
