Many states are beginning to reopen their economies despite health officials saying that the U.S. is not ready to reopen non-essential businesses. Missouri will be one of the states reopening non-essential businesses and will be the first state to resume live events, as early as Monday.
On April 27, Missouri Gov, Mike Parson, released his Show Me Strong recovery plan which detailed a plan to reopen the state’s economy by as early as May 4. The plan allows retail stores and restaurants to reopen but not fill to capacity and adhere to social distancing guidelines.
Large events and gatherings are also not banned. People are able to go to the movie theatre, sporting events, and concerts but must adhere to social distancing guidelines as well. “Seating shall be spaced out according to social distancing requirements,” reads Parson’s plan.
A representative from Missouri’s Department of Health and Senior Services clarified that concerts do not have to adhere to the same occupancy restrictions as retail businesses and restaurants. Concertgoers are just expected to stay six feet apart from each other.
However, this plan does not apply to larger cities in Missouri such as St. Louis, Springfield, and Kansas City. Recently, the mayor of St. Louis, Lyda Krewson, tweeted that “We will continue to be guided by data, not dates.”
However, in a recent poll conducted, it shows that Americans are more likely to still stay home despite states reopening. Most Americans are trying to avoid large crowds until a vaccine is made available to the public.
