November 18, 2020
New amended health order takes effect on Friday
KANSAS CITY, Mo. – Jackson County Executive Frank White, Jr. – in consultation with Jackson County Health Department Director Bridgette Shaffer, MPH and Emergency Management Coordinator Troy Schulte – today has issued detailed guidelines for Jackson County’s Safer at Home Recovery Plan.
The Safer at Home Recovery Plan is part of Jackson County’s new health order which restricts gatherings to ten (10) or fewer people. This new order will go into effect at 12:01 a.m. on Friday, November 20, 2020, and will remain in effect until it is extended, rescinded, replaced, or amended.
Key items in the new health order include:
- Both essential and non-essential businesses (including churches) that are frequented by the public can open provided they limit the number of individuals (staff and customers) in the building or room to 50 percent of the lowest occupancy load on the certificate of occupancy of the room or facility (whichever is lower) in which the gathering is occurring. This is only permissible as long as adequate social distancing (six feet) can be maintained. If social distancing cannot be maintained due to facility layout, the occupancy limit should be reduced. Proper PPE must be utilized.
- Restaurants, taverns, and all other such venues serving food and/or drink indoors, including public, private, or membership-only venues, shall limit the number of occupants to no more than 50 percent of building occupancy, and shall close no later than 10:00 p.m.
- Indoor patrons must be seated and masked at all times except when actively eating or drinking;
- Indoor and outdoor parties are limited to ten (10) or fewer persons; and
- Parties shall be spaced with no less than six feet of distance between themselves and individuals from any other parties.
- Gyms, fitness, and recreational centers, including publicly-owned and managed facilities, shall be limited to 50 percent capacity. All patrons must wear masks indoors at all times and maintain social distancing of no less than six feet.
- Gatherings include, but are not limited to, non-essential business activities, such as: weddings, funerals, lectures, meetings, parades, fairs, festivals, sporting events, and performances. All gatherings exceeding ten (10) people are required to submit a Gathering Protocol at least seven (7) business days in advance of the event. The Gathering Protocol must be approved by Jackson County and easily accessible to all attendees. A “gathering” does not include normal operations at spaces where persons may be in transit or coming and going individually or in groups of less than ten (10) persons.
For all gatherings of people, the health officer strongly encourages everyone to follow guidance provided by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), federal, state and local public health officials and private medical providers.
Additional Resources:
New Local Health Order:
https://jacohd.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/11/HealthOrdernov18.20202.pdf
Safer at Home Recovery Plan: https://jacohd.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/11/safer-at-home-recovery-plan.pdf
Gathering Protocol: https://form.jotform.com/202747364099060
Residents and businesses with questions about the new health order should contact the health department at (816) 404-9883 or email [email protected].
