City of Joplin offers more details on stay-at-home order

(From the City of Joplin)

Today, Mayor Gary Shaw, in consultation with Health Director Dan Pekarek, City attorney’s office and other local health systems, issued a “Stay at Home” order requiring Joplin citizens to stay at home except for “essential activities” as our community continues working to reduce the spread of COVID-19.

“With today’s directive, we are telling our citizens that they have a role in the outcome in this public health emergency,” said Shaw. “It is known that this virus spreads from person to person and we’ve stressed the importance of social distancing. Now it is critical that residents remain at home unless they are completing an essential activity, such as getting groceries or medicine.”

Under the emergency authority granted to the Mayor by City Code Sec. 38-43, and Ordinance 2020-041 Shaw announced the Stay At Home Order. The Order will take effect at 12:01 a.m. Monday, April 6, 2020 and will remain in effect until 11:59 p.m. Sunday, April 19, 2020. This order will be evaluated on an ongoing basis and may be modified as circumstances change based on guidance from public health official and other experts.

“I have given this great thought and consideration through these past few days, and have consulted many,” said the Mayor. “And I’ve heard from quite a few citizens who are in full support of this order so that our community may work together to get through this health crisis. By staying home and minimizing outings, we not only help ourselves but our community as a whole. This is the right thing to do for the health and safety of our citizens and I ask each one of our residents to do the right thing by adhering to these guidelines.”

The order gives directions to citizens, allowing only “essential activities” during this time. This would include working at essential businesses, going to pharmacies, medical providers, grocery stores, getting gasoline, or physically caring for others. Citizens may worship at churches and other places of worship while maintaining social distancing requirements and not to exceed 10 or more persons.

For purposes of this order, “essential activities” mean:

-To engage in activities or perform tasks essential to their health and safety, or to the health and safety of their family or household members (including, but not limited to, pets), or close personal acquaintances, such as, by way of example only and without limitation, obtaining medical supplies or medication, visiting a health care professional, or obtaining supplies they need to work from home;

-To obtain necessary services or supplies for themselves and their family or household members, or close personal acquaintances, or to deliver those services or supplies to others, such as, by way of example only and without limitation, canned food, dry goods, fresh fruits and vegetables, pet supply, fresh meats, fish, and poultry, and any other household consumer products, and products necessary to maintain the safety, sanitation, and essential operation of residences;

-To engage in outdoor activity, provided the individuals comply with Social Distancing Requirements as defined in this Section, such as, by way of example and without limitation, biking, walking, hiking, or running;

-To perform work providing essential products and services at an Essential Business or to otherwise carry out activities specifically permitted in this Order, including Minimum Basic Operations, as defined below, at Non-Essential Businesses; and

-To care for a family member, close personal acquaintance, or pet in another household.
Churches and other places of worship may be open for solitary worship with social distancing requirements not to exceed 10 or more persons. Virtual services are encouraged.

The Stay At Home Order also defines a series of essential businesses, which are those that will be allowed to continue to operate. Nonessential businesses can continue minimal activities as specifically defined in the Order and individuals must follow physical distancing requirements while doing these.

Essential businesses and services are viewed as those that people need to continue regarding any kind of safety and sanitation in their homes. Maintaining their homes and families with necessities such as groceries, gas, home maintenance, vehicle repair and general household functions will allow basic operations to continue within homes while limiting additional activities that could be done at a later time.

Major categories of essential businesses defined in the order include:


-Health care (doctors, dentists, nurses, hospitals, pharmacies, medical research facilities, blood donation services, labs, etc.);

-Veterinary care;

-Food and drink production and distribution (including grocery stores, convenient stores, markets and restaurants that offer food for carryout);

-Sanitation (including laundromats, dry cleaners, household and business cleaning services and supply stores);

-Transportation (including gas stations, public transit, taxis, airports, railroads and other provide transportation providers);

-Financial Services (including banks, insurance providers, and professional services required to comply with legal and regulatory requirements);

-Professional services, (legal services, accounting services, insurance services), Real estate services including appraisal, inspection, mortgage and title services;

-Manufacturing and distribution of supplies and materials for essential businesses (including trucking and other supply chain support functions);

-Maintenance and construction of infrastructure and households;

-Childcare

-Essential Government Operations;

-Residential facilities (including hotels and motels);

-Media and Communications Providers (including newspapers, radio stations and television stations);

-Mailing, Shipping, and Delivery Services.

A full list of categories of essential businesses is provided in the Stay At Home Order.

For more information about COVID-19, visit our website: www.joplinmo.org/coronavirus or the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s website at https://www.cdc.gov/ .