On April 3, 2020, Governor Mike Parson highlighted the state’s ongoing efforts to respond to the COVID-19 crisis in Missouri. During that briefing he called for a statewide Stay at Home Missouri Order. The Governor’s Order is effective beginning at 12:01 a.m. Monday, April 6 through Friday, April 24.
To help clarify for citizens, the Stay at Home orders adopted by the Greene County Commission and the City of Springfield on March 26 are still in effect. Counties and municipalities that have stricter orders may keep them in effect. The County and City are preparing to amend their respective Orders to match the more restrictive sections of the state of Missouri Order. Essential businesses and activities as defined in the County and City orders will not be changed.
“During these times, the wisest thing for us to do is to ask what is safest and what puts the fewest number of people at risk, instead of asking the question ‘what is the most we can do under the order?’” said Presiding Commissioner Bob Dixon. “We need to continue to work together and stay at home as much as possible to bring about a quicker recovery. This storm will pass, and it will pass sooner if we work together.”
The Greene County Commission Order is located at greenecountymo.gov and the City of Springfield Order is at springfieldmo.gov/coronavirusresponse.
Further demonstrating the important role of local government to slow the spread of COVID-19 in southwest Missouri, municipalities and counties surrounding Springfield-Greene County continue to cooperate and collaborate, many already having enacted their own versions mandating people stay at home, except for when conducting essential business or activities.
“We are grateful for Governor Parson’s decision to announce statewide guidelines as that will help fill in the gaps of small towns and rural areas around the state that are currently not under any type of “Stay-At-Home” order,” Mayor Ken McClure said. “As community spread of COVID-19 continues throughout our region, we believe our aggressive action to flatten the curve and protect our most vulnerable brothers and sisters are already making a difference. We are asking our entire community to continue to stay the course to do their part in helping to stop the spread of this virus.”
The need for regional as well as statewide cooperation is further reinforced by Springfield-Greene County Health Department Director Clay Goddard.
“It’s critical that citizens in communities throughout our region also stay at home and follow the life-saving guidance of public health officials. CoxHealth and Mercy are both health care systems that draw patients from a large, 30-plus county area. Flattening the curve is about ensuring our health care systems have the capacity they need when there is an inevitable surge of patients,” Goddard said
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For additional information, contact Donna Barton, Public Information Officer, at 417-844-4311 or dlbarton@greenecountymo.gov, or Cora Scott, City of Springfield Director of Public Information & Civic Engagement, 417-380-3352 or cscott@springfieldmo.gov.