Johnson County Response and Recovery Plan Phase 2 – Effective May 4, 2020

On April 27, 2020 Governor Mike Parson announced the phases of the “Show Me Strong Recovery Plan” on how Missouri will gradually begin to reopen. The guidelines for this plan can be found at www.showmestrong.mo.gov. The goal of Johnson County, Missouri’s Response and Recovery Plan is to focus on its people, businesses, communities, and infrastructure, among others. The success of this plan is dependent on the responsibility and accountability taken by all of its county leaders, members and communities. Each phase of the recovery plan will likely be weeks to months in length and will include different levels of guidance for how individuals and businesses can prevent the spread of disease, as the county reopens economically and socially.

Phase 1: Slow the Spread (March 20, 2020 – May 3, 2020) – Complete

Following the response plan, five elements for moving to the recovery phase need to be achieved:

• Sustained reduction in cases for at least 14 days
• Hospital(s) are able to treat all COVID‐19 patients without crisis standards of care
• All symptomatic individuals can be tested
• Public health can maintain active case and contact isolation and monitoring
• Regional considerations on infection and spread of the disease

Phase 2: Reopen, in a safe and healthy environment, a.k.a. Recovery (Effective May 4, 2020)

When the community has sustained a low level of COVID‐19, allowing it to progress through the steps of Recovery, there are three triggers that could prompt movement into Phase 3:

1. availability of a vaccine
2. widespread availability of effective treatment
3. minimal active cases

Phase 3: Establish Protection Then Lift All Restrictions

Phase 4: Rebuild Our Readiness for the Next Pandemic

Phase 2: Recovery (effective 05/04/2020)

Individuals at high risk should continue to stay at home and not interact with others except for essential activities. During essential activities, these individuals should practice social distancing, and if in a large populated location, should wear a mask.

 Businesses/Organizations engaged in retail sales:

• Must limit the number of individuals in any particular retail location to the following standards based on entity’s authorized fire or building code occupancy:
  • Twenty‐five (25) percent or less of the entity’s authorized occupancy for retail locations with square footage of less than ten thousand square feet (10,000 ft²);
  • Ten (10) percent or less of the entity’s authorized occupancy retail locations with square footage of ten thousand square feet (10,000 ft²) or more.
• Businesses that are engaged in retail sales to the public, not subject to fire or building code occupancy limitations, should calculate occupancy limits on the following formula:
  • For a business with a retail location less than 10,000 square feet:
    • Building Square Feet divided by 30 = Quotient
    • Quotient x 0.25 = Occupancy Limit
    • (Example: An 8,000 square foot retail store would be able to have 66 customers in the store at any one time)

• For a business with a retail location of 10,000 square feet or more:
  • Building Square Feet divided by 30 = Quotient
  • Quotient x 0.10 = Occupancy Limit

(Example: A 40,000 square foot grocery store would be able to have 133 customers in the store at any one time.)

• Continue to apply social distancing in all facilities.
• Sanitize frequently and between customers.
• Separate chairs in waiting rooms to 6 ft from each other, or, if feasible, implement a system where patrons can wait inside their vehicle prior to entering the business with pre‐scheduled appointments.

Schools will remain closed for the 2019‐2020 school year and may:

• Continue to provide food and nutrition services to students in their community.
• Proceed with summer school under guidelines set forth by the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education.

 

Grocery stores will continue as an essential business:

• Strongly encouraged to set aside hours, outside of regular store hours, to allow third‐party grocery delivery services to provide grocery shopping services for customers, reducing congestion during such times.

Restaurants may offer dine‐in services as long as:

• Continue to apply social distancing. Best practice recommendation is to separate tables, at a distance far enough apart (8‐10 feet), to allow for individuals or groups to be at a distance of no less than 6 feet apart, when either party is seated at their specified table.
• No more than 10 individuals at a table.
• Hand sanitization is available upon entering facility.
• No self‐serve stations, including but not limited to buffets, salad bars, drinks, etc. where community members have access.
• Best practice recommendations include:
  • Provide disposable menus.
  • Restaurant employees are encouraged to wear masks.
  • Sanitize frequently and between customers.
  • Continue drive‐thru, pickup, or delivery as the preferred option.

 Churches may reconvene as long as:

• It is strongly encouraged that churches consider streaming or video conferencing as a continued alternative.
• Hand sanitization is available upon entering facility.
• Continue to follow social distancing requirements, maintaining 6 feet between individuals and/or family groups, with the exception of small children and individuals requiring caregivers.
• Parishioners should enter the sanctuary in staggered groups and remain seated until the service is concluded. The dismissal should be done in an orderly fashion such as row‐by‐row.
• Common practices, including but not limited to welcome hugs, holding/touching of hands during prayer, hand shaking, shared communion cups, etc. should be avoided.
• Children’s Sunday School services are not recommended due to the difficulty for children to maintain social distancing.
• Refer to large venue or gatherings.

Recreation activities may reconvene as long as:

• Limiting the number of participants to a number that can be monitored for social distancing, maintaining 6 feet.
• Increasing sanitation practices between events and participants.

Personal Service Businesses (hair salon, barber, tattoo parlor, massage, etc.) may reconvene as long as:

• Best practice recommendation is to operate under the ratio of one patron per service provider during a visit.
• Service providers wear a face mask during times when working directly with the client. Handmade face masks are acceptable.
• Clients hold/wear a mask or face covering during the appointment when the 6 ft distance cannot be maintained.
• Hand sanitization is available upon entering facility.
• All clients remain in their cars until the time of their appointment.
• Sanitize frequently and between customers, including replacement of gloves, face coverings, and any other personal protection equipment.

 

Daycares, childcare providers, or schools providing childcare for working families can continue operations with the following recommendations:

• Hand sanitization is available upon entering facility.
• Implement social distancing strategies

• • If possible, child care classes should include the same group each day, and the same child care providers should remain with the same group each day.
  • Consider keeping each group of children in separate rooms or areas of child care facility.
  • Stagger playground times and keep groups separate for special activities, such as art, music, and exercising.
  • If possible, at nap time, ensure that children’s naptime mats (or cribs) are spaced out as much as possible, ideally 6 ft apart. Consider placing children head to toe to further reduce potential for spread.
• Intensify cleaning and disinfection efforts.
• Modify procedures to stagger arrival and drop off times, and plan to limit direct contact with parents as much possible.
• If possible, same parent or designated person should drop off and pick up the child every day.

Large venue or gatherings are permitted as long as:

• The recommendation of the Johnson County Public Health Officer is to hold off on large venue gatherings until further notice or consider streaming or video conferencing as an alternative.
• Best practice recommendations for large gatherings is limit to 25% or less of the venue’s maximum occupancy, while following social distancing requirements, maintaining 6 ft between individuals and/or family groups, with the exception of small children and individuals requiring caregivers.
• Seating shall be spaced out according to social distancing requirements.
• Dismissal should be done in an orderly fashion.
• Intensify cleaning and disinfection efforts, including between events and participants (as feasible).
• Hand sanitization is offered strategically throughout.
• Participants wear a face mask. Handmade face masks are acceptable.
• Common practices, including but not limited to welcome hugs, holding/touching of hands, handshaking, shared cups, etc. should be avoided.

If you have any questions or want to report any concerns/violations jeopardizing public safety, please visit johnsoncountyhealth.org/.