April 16, 2020

KANSAS CITY, Mo. – Jackson County Executive Frank White, Jr. – in consultation with County Health Department Director Bridgette Shaffer, MPH and County Administrator Troy Schulte – is extending the County’s stay-at-home order through May 15, 2020 to further slow the spread COVID-19.

This decision follows the recommendation of the regional public health officers and directors in the nine-county Kansas City metropolitan area. The County’s previous stay-at-home order was set to expire on April 24.

The community’s compliance with social distancing and stay-at-home orders has been effective in flattening the curve in the absence of wide-spread testing, but more work remains. Public health officials estimate the anticipated peak of infection in the Kansas City metro at the end of April.

“We can’t thank our community enough for their strength and sacrifice during this time. In order to keep our communities safe, we need the public’s continued cooperation and commitment to stay strong, stay safe and stay home,” said Jackson County Executive Frank White, Jr. “Now is not the time to let up. By extending the order past our anticipated peak date, we can further reduce transmission of the virus and begin re-opening our community in a smart and safe manner.”

Like the previous order, the new order requires people to stay at home except for doing essential activities, such as grocery shopping. Non-essential businesses will remain closed.

In addition to an extension, the new order also adds some clarifying language around essential business and activities, including, but not limited to:

• Use of playgrounds, dog parks, public picnic areas, and similar recreational areas is prohibited. These areas must be closed to public use.
• Funerals limited to no more than 10 people attending.
• Essential businesses expanded to include service providers that enable residential transactions (notaries, title companies, realtors, etc.); funeral homes and cemeteries; moving companies, rental car companies and rideshare services that specifically enable essential activities.
• Essential businesses that continue to operate facilities must scale down operations to their essential component only.
• Requires essential businesses to develop a social distancing protocol before April 20, 2020 using the attached form. It is also posted online.

Additional Resources:

Stay-at-Home Order FAQs: www.jacksongov.org

Jackson County Health Department Hotline: (816) 404-9883

Submit non-compliance complaints or questions: www.jacohd.org