“If we let up now, we would have nowhere near the kind of hospital capacity we need,” he said.

In Missouri, Parson, a Republican, said Wednesday he would begin easing his stay-home order May 4, assuring most businesses that they would be able to reopen with some social distancing measures in place. Parson said he would announce more specifics on those measures Friday.

Parson has said some local leaders may keep tighter restrictions in place. Both St. Louis Mayor Lyda Krewson and St. Louis County Executive Sam Page have extended stay-home orders indefinitely and have said they may maintain tighter restrictions after May 4, depending on guidance from health experts.

In St. Charles County, the state’s social distancing rules banning groups of 10 or more people and requiring people to stay 6 feet apart are already tighter than the county measures. The county’s social distancing orders allow businesses to define for themselves if they are essential and give guidance against large gatherings, without banning them.

County Executive Steve Ehlmann said Thursday that he will decide how to go forward by tracking trends in hospitalizations and cases, but it may soon be up to businesses in his county to determine how to safely reopen.