Council lifts some COVID-19 restrictions

Mar. 2—After hearing a report that Joplin's COVID-19 numbers continue to be low, the City Council voted Monday night to remove social distancing requirements from restaurants and churches, and lift the 250-person limit at outdoor gatherings.

"The numbers continue to look very well," said Joplin Health Department Director Ryan Talken.

Joplin's seven-day average of new cases as of Monday was 5.14 cases per day compared with 6.76 last week. That is slightly above the state average of 4.8.

Test positivity rates are 5.34% compared with 6.94% last week.

There were 20 people in local hospitals on Monday for treatment of the virus; four are Joplin residents. That compares with 33 patients last week, six of them from Joplin.

"We continue to get vaccine," Talken said. "We are still not getting a lot of vaccine, but we are getting more than what we were."

Appointments are being scheduled for an Missouri Army National Guard vaccine clinic to be held today and Wednesday in Carthage. People who want to seek an appointment may register online at www.mostopscovid.com, obtain a registration number from that website and then call the Jasper County Health Department at 417-358-3111 to get an appointment.

Those who obtained their first vaccine on Jan. 29 at a National Guard clinic in Joplin are being scheduled for their second shots Thursday and Friday. Anyone who has not been scheduled may call the Joplin Health Department at 417-623-6122.

Talken said the city is currently in Phase 2, Step 4 of the Joplin Response and Recovery Plan. At that phase of the plan, occupancy restrictions had been removed, but the city still had social distancing requirements for gyms, bars, restaurants and churches. Masks are still required for those who provide personal services and work in restaurants, gyms, theaters, and outdoor sports if employees are within 6 feet with customers and also are required for customers except when eating and drinking.

The health director had previously suggested that a limit of 250 for large gatherings be removed.

Mayor Ryan Stanley asked if area health authorities are seeing infections from variants of the virus.

Talken said only one case involving a variant had been reported in Missouri so far, but federal health authorities have said that current vaccines are effective against them. He said there is some reduction in effectiveness but that the vaccines are said to provide protection against the variants.

Councilman Keenan Cortez asked if occupancy restrictions were lifted what social distancing measures would be left for those businesses and places of worship.

Talken said occupancy limits had already been lifted but that restaurants were supposed to have every other table open to maintain the 6-foot distance between individual dining groups.

Councilman Phil Stinnett said it will be difficult to monitor social distancing at mass gatherings such as Third Thursday, but he favored loosening restrictions as much as possible to help restaurants. Some are not abiding by the city's policy anyway, Stinnett said.

Councilman Gary Shaw said he has received some phone calls that it seemed larger restaurants were not observing the social distancing.

"I do know some of the smaller ones are really trying to adhere to the rules," Shaw said. "When they have to social distance they are losing some of that income that is important to them." He said he also would like to release churches from the requirement because some of them have seen a reduction in attendance as well as finances.

He said the city should continue to monitor COVID-19 case numbers in case they shoot up and action is needed.

Council member Anthony Monteleone made a motion to remove the limit of 250 for outdoor gatherings. It was approved 9-0.

In regard to restaurants, council member Diane Reid Adams said that people who walk into a restaurant and do not feel that there is a comfortable distance among customers can choose to go to another restaurant.

Stinnett made a motion to lift restrictions on restaurants and churches, and that passed by a 6-3 vote. Council members Christina Williams, Cortez and Monteleone voted against lifting the social distancing measures.

The city's mask mandate expired Sunday night.