JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. – Many Missouri businesses will be reopening their doors next month after the state lifts social distancing restrictions.

Gov. Mike Parson said that of 2:00 pm today there have been 6,137 positive cases of covid 19 including 208 deaths. Over 58,000 Missourians have been tested at this point. This is much lower than initial forecasts of the spread of the virus.

A reporter asked if Missouri businesses will be allowed to reopen after the stay-at-home orders are lifted.

“We’re working on the policy and the guidelines for that, but almost every business in Missouri will be able to open their door on May 4,” said Gov. Mike Parson.

“We have literally bent this curve, we flattened this curve because the models that would have predicted tens of thousands of deaths across the state. Those models were formed based on data of how the virus usually would replicate if these interventions weren’t in place,” said Dr. Robin Trotman, Medical Director of Infectious Diseases at CoxHealth South and a member of our panel of infectious disease experts.

There will be guidelines for how many people can be in groups, and social distancing is still going to be an important factor in stopping the spread of coronavirus. The governor will give more specific details on the plans for reopening businesses and the guidelines they need to follow starting Friday.

Both St. Louis County and St. Louis City have said that they will keep restrictions in place until the middle of next month. Franklin County is expected to reopen many businesses next weekend.