Parson: How state will provide local relief, increase testing, combat COVID-19
COLUMBIA — Governor Mike Parson is traveling the state visiting cities and providing an update on the progression of COVID-19.
Prior to holding a press briefing Tuesday, Parson met with Columbia leaders to discuss how declaring a state of emergency will impact local communities. Parson said while he travels around the state he wants to explain to the public what the state is going to be able to offer and how they would implement those supply and funding offerings in local communities.
Parson also stated that testing levels will soon dramatically increase.
I think the good news is testing levels are going to progress dramatically. By the first of April we'll hopefully be at the capabilities where we can do 10,000 tests a day.
Another issue he spoke with leaders about was making sure supplies are being provided to frontline officers whether that be emergency room personnel or first responders.
Parson explained that $7 million in funding was freed up by the emergency declaration and that money will help get supplies out to local communities in the next day or so.
Parson and government leaders also discussed the next steps such as mobile testing, tents and supplies.
During the press conference, Governor Parson and Dr. Randall Williams, director of the Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services, addressed the previously mentioned issues as well as others including school closings, testing capabilities, business closing and more.
Parson also made a statement to the public saying:
It's also important to make sure everyone understands that this changes daily. This whole scenario is a road we've never been down before and it just changes daily. So, we're doing everything we can. We wanted to support the local communities. Everything we can have at the forefront, at the state level, we're putting forward to trying to make sure to serve the people of Missouri.
But at the end of the day, it's going to be personal responsibility that is going to be a part of the future of what we're doing to fight the coronavirus.
School Closings
Parson said he is leaving the closing of schools up to the schools at a local level. As of 2:30 p.m. on March 17, a total of 432 Missouri public school districts/charter schools out of 555 have closed or will soon close.
In the press briefing Parson said:
There are 555 school districts in the state of Missouri, all of them are very diverse, all of them are drastically different... A lot of schools do not have daycare capabilities, they have no place for kids to go unless they go back home. Parents are working... and we felt like the local level elected officials will know how to best make that decision.
Economic Impact
Governor Parson said the state was proactive, having put $100 million back in case they did have problems, much like they did with the flooding last year. Parson said COVID-19 is going to affect the state and its economy. For example, Parson explained when you lose 50 percent of your business in one day, that's going to have an economic effect.
Testing Strategy
Dr.Williams discussed statewide testing during the press conference. According to Dr. Williams, the state is working with local hospitals like MU Health Care and Washington State University to get them online for testing.
The Governor said in a news release the state is currently working with the University of Missouri to expand COVID-19 testing. The Governor hopes this will increase testing capabilities by thousands across the state.
Williams explained the state hopes that by April 1st, Missourians with a dry cough and a fever will be able to be tested. The state is working on setting up mobile sites away from hospitals to get everyone who needs to be tested, tested for the virus.
Other ways the state is working on expanding testing include:
- Mercy Hospital recently set up a drive-thru testing site in Chesterfield, and University of Missouri Health Care is also working to implement drive-thru testing in Columbia.
- The Missouri State Public Health Lab will be receiving more tests from the CDC soon, pushing its capacity to 1,600 patient tests.
- Viracor, a private lab in Lee Summit, will have the ability to do over 1,000 tests per day.
- Quest Diagnostic and LabCorp are now testing.
- Washington University in St. Louis is also working to increase testing capacity.
Purposefully rationing tests
An additional part of the state's strategy is purposefully rationing tests. Dr. Williams said the limiting factor to testing has been the control agents coming from the CDC. Other states have run out of tests, but Missouri has been purposefully rationing them.
Dr. Williams explained the state is now transitioning into a new area where it won't be rationing the tests, the state will instead broaden its categories for testing withing state labs and as other test sites come online, the state will again broaden those categories.
Personal Protective Equipment
In a news release, the governor said the State Emergency Management Agency is working to procure additional personal protective equipment (PPE) for Missouri state and local response agencies, including law enforcement and the fire service.
According to the release, the Department of Public Safety and SEMA will continue to update local response partners as more information becomes available on PPE.
Emergency Declaration and State Regulations
On March 13, 2020, Governor Parson signed Executive Order 20-02 declaring a state of emergency in Missouri. The Executive Order invoked the Missouri State Emergency Operations Plan and will allow more flexibility in utilizing and deploying state resources.
The release said that by declaring a state of emergency, Missouri now has access to an additional $7.2 million for resources such as PPE.
On March 13, the Missouri Department of Transportation announced an allowance for heavier-than-normal truckloads of supplies and equipment to travel on Missouri highways.
On March 17, the Missouri Department of Transportation announced an increased weight allowance for trucks to support COVID-19 response and an IRP/IFTA emergency waiver.
Missouri’s State Emergency Operations Center (SEOC) is currently activated at Level 3, partial activation, to coordinate state response efforts.
Closures and Restrictions
In accordance with CDC recommendations, Governor Parson has strongly urged the cancellation or suspension of public gatherings of 50 individuals or more.
Here is a list of recommendations for closures as well as restrictive measures:
- Governor Parson has also asked that facilities attracting large concentrations of senior citizens strongly consider restrictions and closures, in consultation with health authorities, to protect those most vulnerable to this virus.
- The Missouri Veterans Commission has restricted access to all visitors, volunteers, and vendors until further notice.
- The Missouri Department of Corrections has suspended visitors at state correctional facilities, and the Missouri Department of Mental Health has also restricted visitor access at state mental health facilities.
- Public tours and events in the State Capitol have been shut down to encourage social distancing.
- On March 17, Governor Parson announced that Missouri casinos will be closed through March 30 in order to help prevent the spread of COVID-19.
Coordination and Communication
According to the news release, Governor Parson participates in a weekly conference call every Monday with Vice President Mike Pence and other governors around the country to receive federal updates and ask questions.
Governor Parson also leads a call with emergency management personnel, county commissioners, county sheriffs, and the largest 40 city mayors across the state to provide updates – there are over 1,000 invites to this call. Governor Parson leads a similar call on Sunday evenings with elected leaders from around the state to discuss some of the primary issues they’re hearing about in their communities relating to COVID-19.
The release said the state has also been in communication with the major utility providers in the state, and they have agreed to forgo disconnects in the event someone cannot pay due to hardship over COVID-19.
Informing the Public
Each day, Governor Parson and the Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services (DHSS) post an update on social media including the number of positive COVID-19 cases reported in Missouri.
The DHSS has created a website that includes updates on COVID-19 in Missouri as well as other information and resources relating to the virus. All 16 state departments’ websites provide a link to this website.
All 16 state departments also have a consistent social media plan to help educate and update the public.
A COVID-19 hotline is available through DHSS (877-435-8411) to take and answer questions 24/7.
To further assist, the release said the state is working on a chatbot that can answer frequently asked questions online and divert volume away from the call centers.
For more information, visit the CDC’s website at www.cdc.gov/coronavirus and the DHSS website at www.health.mo.gov/coronavirus.