August. 13, 2020

KANSAS CITY, Mo. – Kansas City Mayor Quinton Lucas—in consultation with Kansas City Health Department Director Rex Archer, M.D.—today extended the State of Emergency in the City of Kansas City until January 16, 2021, as the City continues its work to mitigate the spread of COVID-19. This authority is granted under Section 50-155 of the City Charter. The tenth amended order signed by Mayor Lucas on July 10 remains in place.

“Until there’s a widely available vaccine, COVID-19 is here to stay—with serious potential health consequences for those infected,” said Mayor Lucas. “Mask-wearing, social distancing and basic hygiene continue to be the most effective way to mitigate the spread of COVID-19, and we appreciate all who take their personal responsibility to protect their family, friends and neighbors seriously. I will continue to work with Dr. Archer and our City health leaders to take any decisive action necessary—especially as we head into the fall and winter months—to best protect our community.”

“It is now obvious to everyone that COVID-19 is not going away over the next five months,” said Dr. Archer. “As we move out of summer and into fall and winter, we will still be confronting this health emergency. Our cases continue to rise, with a 115 percent increase in the 20-29 age group between June and July. We need every person, every business, every organization to commit to stopping transmission so our kids can get back to school and our businesses can thrive.”

All employees or visitors to any place of public accommodation must continue to wear face coverings in an area or while performing an activity which will necessarily involve close contact or proximity to co-workers or the public where six feet of separation is not feasible. Taverns and bars continue to operate at a 50 percent maximum capacity.

Exceptions to the face covering requirement are as follows:

• Minors, with strong guidance from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the Kansas City Health Department that children over aged two wear face coverings.
• People who have disabilities that:
  • Prevent them from comfortably wearing or taking off face coverings.
  • Prevent them from communicating while wearing face coverings.
• People who have respiratory conditions or breathing trouble.
• People who have been told by a medical, legal, or behavioral health professional not to wear face coverings.
• People who are seated in a restaurant or tavern and are actively engaged in consuming food or drink while adequately distanced from other patrons.

Mayor Lucas will review this State of Emergency, and update as needed, prior to its expiration. Click here to read the updated State of Emergency proclamation, and here to read FAQs.

As a reminder, Mayor Lucas—in partnership with the City of Kansas City and Made in KC—in May launched KCPPE.com, an online resource for Kansas City businesses to purchase Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) for their employees while providing direct support to local businesses. Kansas City businesses or individuals looking to purchase locally-made PPE can find more information here. Local PPE suppliers can request to be added to the website here.

Kansas Citians interested in signing up for text updates from the City of Kansas City regarding COVID-19 should text COVIDKC to 888-777. For more information, visit the CDC’s website at cdc.gov/coronavirus or kcmo.gov/coronavirus. You may also call the Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services hotline at 877-435-8411 for questions regarding COVID-19 in Missouri.