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State of emergency issued for Kansas City, Missouri, Jackson County Events with more than 1,000 attendees within city now canceled or delayed Share Shares Copy Link Copy

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WE’LL CONTINUE TO DO THAT AS I NOTED BEFORE THE AIRPORT REMAINS. OPEN AND SO YOU NEEDN’T CALL TO CHECK FROM THEM AND CONNECTION WITH THAT. WE’VE ALSO RECEIVED SOME QUESTIONS FROM PRIVATE BUSINESSES ETC IF YOU WORK IN A LARGE OFFICE TOWER AND EXCESS OF 1,000 PERSONS, OF COURSE, THIS ORDER DOESN’T IMPACT THEM UNLESS OF COURSE THEY HAVE SOME GIANT EVENT ON THE GROUND FLOOR ONE OTHER POINT THAT I WANTED TO MAKE IS THIS I KNOW THAT THERE ARE A LOT OF PEOPLE THAT ARE CONCERNED THAT ARE SCARED REALLY WHAT WE’RE TRYING TO DO NOW IS HAVE A AN IMPORTANT PREVENTATIVE STEP AND THAT’S WHAT THIS IS ALL ABOUT. WE’RE NOT TRYING TO BE ALARMIST. WE’RE NOT TRYING TO CONCERN FOLKS. WHAT WE’RE TRYING TO SAY IS HOW CAN WE MAKE SURE THAT WE DON’T SEE A SIGNIFICANT IMPACT BEFORE WE CAN HANDLE IT HERE IN KANSAS CITY. AND SO THAT’S WHY WE BELIEVE WE’RE LOOKING TO LARGER EVENTS 1,000 OR MORE. THAT’S WHY WE’RE LOOKING TO AT LEAST THIS 21 DAY PERIOD AND THEN WE’LL SEE REVIEW. THERE MAY BE SOME QUESTIONS RELATING TO HOW DO YOU COME TO THAT NUMBER AND LARGELY WHAT WE WANTED TO SAY WAS THIS IS ABOUT AT LEAST THE LARGE EVENTS FOR NOW IF IT BECOMES NECESSARY THAT WE LOOK AT NUMBERS AT A LOWER NUMBER 500 250 THEN WE’LL EVALUATE THAT AT THE TIME BUT WE VIEW IN THE INTEREST OF PUBLIC SAFETY NOW THAT ARE LARGE EVENT NUMBER WAS MORE IMPORTANT FOR US TO HIT AND TO ADDRESS A LOT OF THOSE EVENTS PARTICULARLY GIVEN THE NUMBER OF PEOPLE THAT TRAVEL COMING INTO SOME OF THE BIGGER EVENTS THAT WE MIGHT SEE IN OUR COMMUNITY. SO WITH THAT I WANT TO SAY THANK YOU ALL FOR BEING HERE AND WE WELCOME ANY QUESTIONS. YOU KNOW YESTERDAY AND THE DAYS BEFORE WE HAD A CONVERSATION MYSELF DOCTORS CARNEY. DR. ARCHER ABOUT PUBLIC HEALTH ISSUES PUBLIC HEALTH CONCERNS. I THINK WE’VE SEEN A LOT CHANGE EVEN IN THE LAST 24 HOURS. WE’VE SEEN MORE HEALTH DEPARTMENTS AROUND THE COUNTRY MORE ORDERS ISSUED FROM MAYOR’S GOVERNOR’S ETC EVEN IN THE LAST DAY AFTER OUR PRESS CONFERENCE AT 7:00 A.M. YESTERDAY THAT SPOKE TO THESE ISSUES THAT SPOKE TO CONTAINMENT AND SO I THINK WE WERE ABLE TO EVALUATE ACTUALLY TRUDY AFTERNOON. WHAT WAS THE IMPORTANT NEXT STEP FOR KANSAS CITY? AND WE THINK THAT THIS IS THE BEST STEP FOR US. THERE’S A BUNCH OF THINGS THAT IT SAYS THAT YOU CAN. YES. WHAT IS THE LIKELIHOOD THAT YOU WILL GROW? AND ON THAT ONE WE ARE NOT CERTAIN YET. WE WANTED TO MAKE SURE THAT THE FULL PARAMETERS OF WHAT’S ALLOWED IN THE CHARTER AND OUR CODE OF ORDINANCES WERE CLEAR FOR FOLKS. I THINK FRANKLY WHAT WE’RE TRYING TO DO IS GIVE SOME GOOD GUIDANCE AS WELL IN THE LAST 24 HOURS IN PARTICULAR WE’VE RECEIVED LOTS OF CALLS FROM ORGANIZATIONS FESTIVALS BUSINESSES PARADE FOLKS SCHOOLS ABOUT WHAT WE CAN DO WHAT WILL HAPPEN. WHAT WE’RE TRYING TO SAY NOW IS AT LEAST FOR THE NEXT 21 DAYS. THIS IS WHERE WE’RE IN ACTIVITIES THAT NEED TO BE CURTAILED TO THE EXTENT THAT THERE IS MORE NECESSARY. WE CERTAINLY WILL EVALUATE THAT I’VE PROBABLY SEEN DR. ARCHER AND DR. CARNEY ALMOST EVERY DAY. IT FEELS LIKE AND I IMAGINE IT WILL CONTINUE TO BE THAT LONG TERM. I’LL MAKE ONE OTHER NOTE THE CITY MANAGER REFERENCE THIS MORNING. HE IS IN CONSTANT CONTACT WITH OUR DEPARTMENT DIRECTORS ALL OF THEM TO MAKE SURE THAT FIRST OF ALL WE’RE PROTECTING OUR CITY WORKFORCE, BUT ALSO THE PEOPLE OF KANSAS CITY MAKING SURE THAT WE HAVE CONSISTENT COMMUNICATION. RESPONSES TO ALL OF THESE ISSUES SO I’VE ACTUALLY TALKED TO A FEW PASTORS ALREADY SINCE THIS TIME AS WELL A THOUSAND IS GENERALLY LARGER EVENTS. IT’S OUR VIEW THAT THERE AREN’T THAT MANY CHURCHES THAT USUALLY HAVE AN ASSEMBLY OF 1,000 PEOPLE ARE MORE IN THE MORNING, BUT THIS DOES SPEAK TO ALL EVENTS OVER 1,000 PERSONS. AND SO SOME OF THIS WILL CONTINUE TO BE AS THE DOCTOR’S NOTE SELF-RESPONSIBILITY AND I WOULD THINK THAT IF YOU RUN AN ORGANIZATION FRANKLY IF YOU RUN AN ORGANIZATION OUTSIDE OF KANSAS CITY AND I INCLUDE IN THAT SOME JURISDICTIONS THAT THEMSELVES HAVE LARGE ARENAS AND STADIUMS. I THINK IT’S IMPORTANT FOR EVERYONE TO EVALUATE WHETHER THIS IS A TIME THAT WE SHOULD BE ENCOURAGING LARGE EVENTS, WHICH WE WOULD DISCOURAGE OR IF YOU SHOULD SAY PERHAPS THEY’RE SMALLER GROUPS. MAYBE THIS ISN’T THE TIME FOR OUR BIGGER EVENTS ARE BIGGER TRAVEL EVENTS ETC. AND SO WE WOULD ACTUALLY THINK THAT THIS ORDER IT TECHNICALLY APPLIES TO ONLY SO MANY FOLKS WHAT WE HOPE MORE PEOPLE ACTUAL TO THE SPIRIT OF IT. THAT WHEN NOT IF ABSOLUTELY MOST OF THE BEST PUBLIC HEALTH EXPERTS ACROSS THE COUNTRY THAT I’VE BEEN IN CONTACT WITH WE’LL FIGURE THAT WE’RE PROBABLY HAVE 60 TO 80 PERCENT OF THE PPOPULATION IN THIS COUNTRY THAT WILL BECOME INFECTED WITH THIS VIRUS AT SOME POINT OVER THE NEXT TWO YEARS. THESE ARE MEASURES TO SLOW IT DOWN. TO MAKE SURE THAT THE NUMBER OF HIGH-RISK FOLKS THAT ARE BECOMING INFECTED AND I WANT TO REMIND PEOPLE FOR FOUR OF FIVE PEOPLE THIS IS AN ILLNESS THAT THEY MIGHT MISS A FEW DAYS REST AT HOME AND HEAL WITHOUT ANY MEDICAL CARE AT ALL. AND THIS IS PART OF THE REASON OF THIS DECISION OF WHAT DAY DO YOU MAKE THESE DECISIONS ON? WHEN WE CANCEL THESE KINDS OF EVENTS, WE HAVE A LARGE POPULATION IN THIS CITY. THAT ARE PAYCHECK TO PAYCHECK. THAT ARE HAVING TROUBLE MAKING THEIR RENT THAT ARE HAVING TROUBLE FEEDING THEIR KIDS. AND IF THEY CAN’T GET THIS WORK WITH THESE VARIOUS EVENTS WE HAVE OTHER HEALTH CONSEQUENCES OF THESE DECISIONS. SO THAT’S WHY WE’RE LOOKING AT THIS FOR ONLY 21 DAYS TO KIND OF SEE WHAT IS THE NEGATIVE EFFECTS OF THESE DECISIONS AND OCCURRENCES BECAUSE THEY ARE SIGNIFICANT. ALSO WE’VE GOT A WAY THIS PERSONAL RESPONSIBILITY OF NOT SPREADING THIS DISEASE IS STILL THE MOST IMPORTANT PART. NOW, LET’S SAY YOU HAVE AN EVENT FOR 900 FOLKS. BUT MOST OF THOSE ARE GOING TO BE HIGH RISK. YOU SHOULD BE DOING THE RIGHT THING AND NOT HAVING THAT EVENT ANYWAY. AND WE’L BE LOOKING AT THIS WILL BE EVALUATING IT. STILL DON’T HAVE PERSON-TO-PERSON PROVEN TRANSMISSION IN THE CITY. SO WE’RE NOT GOING TO OVERREACT OR UNDERREACT WE’RE GOING TO BE DOING THIS AND MONITORING OUR DECISIONS ON A DAILY BASIS. BASED ON WHAT SEATTLE AND SOME OTHER PLACES THAT HAVE DONE SOME MODELING OF THIS WHERE THEY HAVE LIKE A HUNDRED AND SIXTY A FEW DAYS AGO AND THAT NUMBER CONTINUES TO CHANGE. OF PRESUMPTIVE CASES THAT ARE BEING CONFIRMED. THEY’RE MODELING SHOWS THAT IF THEY HAVE A HUNDRED AND SIXTY OF THOSE CASES, THEY PROBABLY HAVE WAY OVER A THOUSAND OF ACTUAL CASES IN THE COMMUNITY. SO YES, WE HAVE I BELIEVE CASES IN THE COMMUNITY. THOSE FOLKS IN MOST CASES DON’T EVEN KNOW THAT THEY’RE ILL OR CAN GET WELL JUST BY RESTING AT HOME AND AGAIN THE TRANSMISSION PROBLEM FOR FOLKS THAT AREN’T HIGH RISK IS NOT A SERIOUS ISSUE RIGHT NOW. IT’S HE HIGH-RISK FOLKS THAT WE HAVE TO PROTECT MORATORIUMS ON VISITING NURSING HOMES BECAUSE IF YOU ARE ASYMPTOMATIC, YOU DON’T KNOW YOU’RE ILL AND YOU TAKE CORONAVIRUS INTO A NURSING HOME. LOOK AT ALL THE DEATHS THAT WE HAD IN THE STATE OF WASHINGTON BECAUSE OF THAT SO THIS IS A SLOWING DOWN SOCIAL DISTANCING KINDS OF THINGS IF WE CAN CHANGE THE AVERAGE NUMBER OF PEOPLE THAT BECOME INFECTED FROM EACH PERSON. WE CAN SLOW IT DOWN THEN IT WON’T OVERRUN OUR EMERGENCY ROOMS RIC USE AND WE WILL HAVE ENOUGH VENTILATORS TO TREAT EVERYBODY. YES. NOT JUST A MONTH FROM NOW. ARE WE PREPARED? WE RESOURCES. THE RISK TO AMERICANS IS MUCH HIGHER FROM COMMUNICABLE DISEASES WHETHER ITS NATURAL OR INTENTIONAL RELEASE. AND IT IS FOR BEING ATTACKED BY A FOREIGN COUNTRY AND YET, YOU KNOW, WE’LL HAVE A HUNDRED TIMES THE BUDGET AND THE DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE AND THE DEPARTMENT OF WHAT I WOULD CALL BIO DEFENSE, WHICH IS A CDC IS WAY WAY UNDER FUNDED. WELL IT ALL IT ALL IT ALL TRICKLES DOWN OR DOESN’T TRICKLE DOWN AND OUR SUPPORT HERE LOCALLY, YOU KNOW, I GET 38 CENTS PER PERSON OUT OF THE GENERAL FUND FROM THE STATE OF MISSOURI FOR PUBLIC HEALTH PURPOSES. NOW THE NINE POINT EIGHT EIGHT PLUS MILLION THAT’S SUPPOSED TO BE COMING TO THE STATE OF MISSOURI. THIS WILL HELP BUT WE NEEDED THIS FIVE YEARS AGO TO BE ABLE TO BUILD ALL THE THINGS THAT WE NEED TO BE BUILDING WE ARE DOING THE LANDING CRAFT AFTER WE’VE ALREADY TAKEN OFF RIGHT NOW. DR. OCHS. IT. SOUNDS LIKE YOU’RE GETTING YOU GIVING US A CONFLICTING MESSAGE INFLICTED MESSAGE IN THIS IN THIS SCENT. DON’T WORRY THE RISK POOL IS LOW FOR THEN THREE MINUTES AGO. YOU SAID WE ALREADY HAVE VIRUS CASES IN THE CITY, WHICH IS IT. IT’S NOT A CONFLICTING MESSAGE FROM MY PERSPECTIVE. YES, WE HAVE CASES. BUT WITH TWO MILLION FOLKS IF YOU HAVE FIVE OR SIX CASES OR TEN CASES OR 20 CASES AND ON AVERAGE, THEY’RE ONLY GOING TO INFECT TWO OR THREE PEOPLE. THAT’S NOT HIGH RISK FOR FOLKS. IT’S STILL MUCH HIGHER THAT YOU’RE GOING TO YOU KNOW DIED FROM A MOTOR VEHICLE CRASH IN THE CITY OR OTHER THINGS THAT WE AREN’T REACTING IN QUITE THE SAME WAY SO THAT CAN CHANGE THOUGH IF YOU HAVE A DOUBLING OF CASES EVERY WEEK SEATTLE STATE OF WASHINGTON IS TALKING ABOUT IF THEY HAVE A THOUSAND CASES NOW IN SEVEN WEEKS THEY CAN HAVE SIXTY THOUSAND CASES. SO THERE’S A DIFFERENCE BETWEEN WHAT WE’RE SEEING NOW. AND WHAT I PREDICT WE WILL BE SEEING IF WE’RE NOT TAKING THESE MEASURES. YOU SAID THAT YOU KNOW, WE NEED SOME EXTRA FUNDING AND THINGS LIKE THAT TO DEAL WITH THIS PROBE IN NINETEEN THING THAT’S GOING ON RIGHT NOW. WHAT ARE WE LACKING HERE IN KANSAS CITY? WHAT DO WE NEED TO PROPERLY TAKE CARE OF THIS? SO WE WERE MOVING FORWARD TO ADDING POSITIONS OF WHAT WE CALL DISEASE DETECTIVES. SO JUST LIKE IF YOU HAVE HOMICIDES IN YOU’RE TRYING TO CLOSE A HOMICIDE CASE IF WE HAVE AN EXPOSURE WHERE WE HAVE SOMEBODY THAT’S POSITIVE HOW MANY PEOPLE WERE THEY? EXPOSED TO THEN WE HAVE TO WORK TO FIND OUT WHO THOSE ARE FIGURE OUT WHAT THEIR RISK IS. CAN WE THEN GET THEM INTO SOME TYPE OF VOLUNTARY QUARANTINE OR NOT? SO THERE’S A WHOLE BUNCH OF PIECES THAT CAN START MOVING UP VERY QUICKLY. OUR FOLKS HAVE BEEN WORKING A LOT OF OVERTIME. EVEN IF THEY’RE NOT IN OVERTIME ELIGIBLE POSITIONS TO MANAGE WHAT WE’RE DOING RIGHT NOW WITH ACTUALLY ZERO CASES, BUT WE’RE MONITORING ON NUMBER OF CASES AND THOSE ARE EXPANDING. RIGHT NOW THERE ISN’T REQUIRED MONITORING FOR A LOT OF THESE FOLKS THAT ARE COMING BACK FROM COUNTRIES THAT HAVE HIGH RISK. WE NEED TO BE FINDING WAYS TO DO THAT. WE DON’T HAVE THE CURRENT STAFFING. WE’RE TRYING TO WORK OUT WAYS TO SUPPORT ALL OF OUR UNIVERSITIES THAT ARE BRINGING STUDENTS BACK. WE HAVE FOLKS COMING BACK FROM OTHER UNIVERSITIES IN BOSTON AND OTHER PLACES WHERE THEY’RE BASICALLY CLOSING AND SAYING IT’S GOING TO BE ELECTRONIC AND THEY’RE CLOSING THEIR DORMS. SO THOSE STUDENTS THAT MAY HAVE BEEN EXPOSED ARE COMING BACK TO KANSAS CITY. SO THERE’S A WHOLE BUNCH OF WHAT WE CALL SHOE LEATHER. EPIDEMIOLOGY WORK THAT WE’RE STRUGGLING WITH RIGHT NOW. THERE WILL BE POSITIONED RELIEF COMING BUT THIS IS IT’S NOT NEW TO PUBLIC HEALTH. WE HAVE TB GO UP. WE GET POSITIONS WE BRING TB DOWN THEY TAKE THE POSITIONS AWAY. WE GET TB BACK UP. WE’RE IN THIS CYCLE A LOT OF TIMES AND WE’RE IN THAT RIGHT NOW, BUT I HAVE A GOOD STRONG TEAM. WE HAVE A LOT OF COMMITMENT THAT’S PART OF WHY WE’RE DOING THESE RESOURCES, BUT I’M A I’M AS MUCH OR MORE WORRIED. ARE WE GOING TO FEED OUR KIDS? HOW ARE WE GOING TO KEEP OUR ADDICTION RATES FROM GOING UP AS WE’RE DEALING WITH THESE ISSUES RIGHT NOW? WE’RE ACTUALLY NOT TALKING ABOUT THE EXACT NUMBER THAT WERE MONITORING HIS THAT’S A VERY MOVING NUMBER OF LITERALLY IT CHANGES FROM MINUTE TO MINUTE DAY-TO-DAY. UM, WE HAVE TESTED A NUMBER OF FOLKS PROBABLY LESS THAN A DOZEN RIGHT NOW AND NONE OF THOSE COME BACK POSITIVE. CAN YOU TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT QUARANTINE? DO YOU HAVE PLANS FOR SORT OF GROUP QUARANTINE OR SOME STUDIES OF TAKE A HOTEL BECAUSE YOU DO HAVE SOME POPULATIONS OR QUANTITY WILL BE DIFFICULT OVER HOME SMALLER HOMES. WE’VE BEEN TALKING ABOUT THAT. WE ARE IN LITERALLY DAILY CONTACT WITH MOST OF THE OTHER BIG CITY HEALTH DEPARTMENT’S THE OTHER 29 OF US THAT ARE PART OF THE OF THE BIG CITIES HEALTH COALITION THAT ARE ON THE FRONT LINE OF A LOT OF THIS ACTIVITY GOING ON RIGHT NOW, AND YES, WE HAVE IDENTIFIED THE POTENTIAL OF YOU KNOW, DOES THE STATE OR DO WE NEED TO SECURE A HOTEL FOR THIS KIND OF WORK? WE’VE HAD UNFORTUNATE SITUATIONS WHERE UM AS AN EXAMPLE A PERSON THAT MAY BE MONITORED FOR POTENTIAL EXPOSURE AND THEN THEY HAVE A FAMILY MEMBER THAT HAS AN IMMUNE DEFICIENCY. SO THEN WE’VE GOT A DEAL WITH OKAY, AND IF THAT PERSON IS NOT OF AGE THEN HOW ARE WE ARE WE GOING TO BE SEPARATING THEM FROM THAT PARENT? AND SO WE’RE HAVING THESE CONVERSATIONS. LUCKILY. WE HAVEN’T HAD TO ACTUALLY DO ANY OF THAT, BUT WE MAY HAVE TO THOSE KINDS OF PROBLEMS. DECISIONS A MONTH FROM NOW. I AM COMFORTABLE THAT WE WOULD GET THOSE RESOURCES. WE DON’T HAVE ALL THOSE RIGHT NOW. AS WELL SO AS AN EMERGENCY MEDICINE PHYSICIAN AND AN EMS PHYSICIAN HERE IN THE REGION THE MOST IMPORTANT THING THAT WE CAN DO TO HELP US BE READY IN A MONTH IS PROTECT OUR 9-1-1 SERVICES AND PROTECT OUR EMERGENCY DEPARTMENTS IF YOU HAVE A MILD ILLNESS IN ARE OTHERWISE HEALTHY A LOT OF THIS CAN BE DONE AT HOME. SO WHAT WE ARE RECOMMENDING ON THE HOSPITAL SIDE IS THAT YOU CALL YOUR PRIMARY CARE PHYSICIAN BEFORE GOING TO YOUR PRIMARY CARE PHYSICIANS OFFICE. SO THE BIGGEST THING FOR US WHAT? DR. ARCHER WAS TALKING ABOUT THE INFRASTRUCTURE CONCERNS IN REGARDS TO ICU BEDS VENTILATORS THOSE WILL BE NEEDED FOR AT-RISK POPULATIONS OLDER THAN 60 HEART DISEASE LUNG DISEASE. SO IF YOU ARE YOUNGER THAN 60 AND DO NOT HAVE COMORBIDITIES AND ONLY HAVE MILD SYMPTOMS AND LIEU OF CALLING 9-1-1 WHAT MOST CITIES ARE RECOMMENDING AS THAT YOU CALL YOUR PRIMARY CARE PHYSICIAN AND INSTEAD TO HELP PROTECT THOSE WAY WE CAN BE READY. IN A MONTH OR SO. ARE YOU ASKING OTHERWISE HEALTHY PEOPLE TO AVOID GATHERING IN PLACES LIKE ENTERTAINMENT DISTRICTS AND WEB SUPPORT OR CROSSROADS. IS IT IS THERE A REASON TO AVOID THAT AT THIS POINT SO AS DR. ARCHER HAD MENTIONED YOU CAN HAVE THE VIRUS AND CARRY THE VIRUS WITHOUT ANY SYMPTOMS. AND SO IF YOU HAVE A LEGITIMATE CONCERN AND OR A POSITIVE TEST WE HIGHLY RECOMMEND THAT YOU DO NOT EXPOSE OTHERS BECAUSE EVEN BECAUSE EVEN THOUGH YOU MIGHT BE OKAY THE PAGE. AND AT RISK IN THE HIGHER RISK POPULATIONS THAT WE DISCUSSED MIGHT NOT BE. OKAY. SO IF YOU DO COME INTO CONTACT WITH THE COVE IN NINETEEN PATIENT, IF YOU ARE TOLD BY THE HEALTH DEPARTMENT TO SELF QUARANTINE OR ISOLATE AT HOME BY THE TIME YOU BECOME SYMPTOMATIC THE MOST IMPORTANT THING YOU CAN DO AS A YOUNG INDIVIDUAL IS PROTECT THOSE AT RISK. I THINK AT THIS POINT. NO, THERE’S THIS ISN’T A MASS QUARANTINE OF AREA THAT YOU’VE SEEN IN OTHER BUT YOU SEEN IN ITALY OTHER PLACES INSTEAD RIGHT NOW. I THINK WE’RE SUGGESTING THAT THERE IS HEIGHTENED RISK AT LARGE EVENTS. THAT’S HOW WE’VE SEEN SPREAD HAPPEN IN A NUMBER OF CLUSTERS THROUGHOUT OUR COUNTRY. AND THAT’S THE REASON WHY WE’RE ANNOUNCING THESE PROTOCOLS TODAY. YES ZERO CASES OF SOMEBODY. GIVING IT TO ANOTHER PERSON HERE IN KANSAS CITY. SO I CAN CHANGE IT IF THAT CHANGES SOME OF OUR RECOMMENDATIONS MAY CHANGE, BUT THIS POINT THERE ISN’T A REASON OTHER THE HIGH-RISK GROUPS TO BE STAYING AWAY FROM THESE KINDS OF SETTINGS RIGHT NOW. COULD YOU SAY THAT AGAIN IN FRONT OF THE MICROPHONE? SO YOU CANNOT GET THAT ON CAMERA? I’M SORRY. AS PART OF THAT DOUBLE MESSAGE THAT YOU WERE TALKING ABOUT WE’VE HAD ZERO CASES. OF SOMEBODY WHO COMES BACK IMPORTS THE DISEASE HERE AND HAS SPREAD IT TO SOMEBODY ELSE. WE PROBABLY WILL HAVE SOME OF THOSE WE HAVE ZERO NOW AT THIS POINT IN TIME. SO OVERREACTING SHUTTING DOWN ALL THE DIFFERENT ECONOMY ISSUES NOW IF YOU ARE A TEENAGER IN A HOME WITH A BUNCH OF HIGH-RISK FOLKS THAT MAYBE YOU SHOULDN’T BE OUT IN SOME OF THESE VENUES ONCE WE SEE IT STARTING TO TAKE OFF MORE IN THE COMMUNITY, BUT AT THIS POINT WE’RE NOT SEEING THAT SO OUR MESSAGE IS WILL CHANGING. LUCKILY. WE’VE GOT ALL YOU TOO. ABLE TO GET THAT MESSAGE OUT. I’M SURPRISED YOU DIDN’T ASK ABOUT SICK LEAVE BECAUSE YOU HAD A GREAT EDITORIAL ON THAT ISSUE AND I PUBLISH SOMETHING A COUPLE OF YEARS AGO ABOUT WHY ARE WE THE ONLY COUNTRY THAT’S ADVANCED QUOTE UNQUOTE AND DOESN’T HAVE MANDATORY SICK LEAVE AND WE NEED TO GET THAT FIXED. AND SO I’M HOPING AGREED SO WE NEED IT AT THE FEDERAL TO OVERRULE THAT. I DID JUST JUST DID SOME QUICK MATH THE ROYALS HOME OPENERS 22 DAYS AWAY. DID THAT PLAY ANY ROLE IN THIS 21 DAY WINDOW JUST BUT HAVE YOU TALKED TO THE TEAM BECAUSE YOU DON’T YOU WOULD WANT TO CANCEL THE HOME OPENE THE DAY BEFORE RUSSELL, SO I TALKED TO REPRESENTATIVE FROM THE KANSAS CITY ROYALS YESTERDAY AS I UNDERSTAND IT. THEY HAVE FORMED THEIR OWN CORONAVIRUS TASK FORCE. KNOW THEIR EXTENSIVE CONVERSATIONS WITH MAJOR LEAGUE WELL THAT I THINK WILL IMPACT ULTIMATE DECISIONS BEING MADE. I THINK MUCH LIKE WE SAW THE NCAA THE BIG 12 CONVERSATION YESTERDAY. I THINK THERE WILL BE CONVERSATIONS THAT BASEBALL’S HAVING MORE BROADLY IN TERMS OF THE QUESTION. FORT FOR 22 DAYS FROM NOW, I’M NOT CERTAIN YET. THAT’S WHY WE THAT’S WHY WE PUT A TIME LIMIT ON THERE WAS SOME DISCUSSION TO LET YOU KNOW AS TO WHETHER DO WE WANT TO MAKE THIS INDEFINITE OR DO WE WANT TO MAKE THIS SOMETIME LENGTH WE ELECTED TO GO WITH A TIMED PERIOD BECAUSE WE WANTED TO SAY TO THOSE EVENTS THAT ARE COMING UP THIS WEEKEND NEXT WEEK THE WEEK THAT FOLLOWS YOU SHOULD NOT HAVE YOUR EVENT IN KANSAS CITY. I THINK WE SHOULD GIVE THAT SORT OF DIRECTION OF THE FOLKS THAT ARE BARTLE HALL THAT ARE PLANNING TO GO TO FIT. THE ROOF ANYTHING UNDER THE SUN. WE THINK THAT THREE AND A HALF WEEKS OUT FOR WEEKS OUT. WE’LL HAVE ENOUGH TIME TO HAVE A CONVERSATION AND COMMUNICATE THAT WHETHER IT BE WITH THE KANSAS CITY ROYALS OR ANY OTHER SPRING EVENTS, BUT AT RIGHT AT THIS POINT, WE ARE TALKING A LOT AND I IMAGINE WELL BEFORE OPENING DAY WE WILL HAVE AN ANSWER AS TO WHETHER OPENING DAY ITSELF WILL BE PLAYED IN KANSAS CITY OR NOT. YOU TALK ABOUT THE ENFORCEMENT OF THIS AS WELL, YOU KNOW, THE BIG 12 TOURNEYS CANCEL JUST LOVE THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE IN THE AREA DOWNTOWN AREA. ARE YOU RELYING ON POLICE THE BREAK-UP GROUPS OR IF THERE’S A RALLY SO CLEARLY ORGANIC, I GUESS RALLIES AND CONGREGATIONS THAT BRING PEOPLE TOGETHER WILL BE A LITTLE BIT MORE DIFFICULT TO POLICE. BUT FORTUNATELY WE HAVE RULES OF PERMITTING IN KANSAS CITY. WE KNOW WHEN MOST CONFERENCES ARE COMING AND WE HAVE A RECORD RECORD CERTAINLY OF EVERYBODY. THAT’S EITHER PERFORMING. MUSIC HALL OR DOING AN EVENT AT BARTLE HALL BECAUSE THOSE ARE CITY OWNED FACILITIES. AND SO THIS IS MORE OF A DIRECTIVE TO FOLKS TO SAY THAT WE AREN’T ALLOWING THEM AND IN TERMS OF HOW WE POLICE IT WE HAVE THE HEALTH DEPARTMENT. WE HAVE REGULATED INDUSTRIES THE POLICE DEPARTMENT ULTIMATELY THE FIRE DEPARTMENT ETCETERA TO MAKE SURE THAT WE’RE CARRYING OUT THESE DIRECTIVES FOR FOLKS. SO WHAT PROTECTIONS ARE GIVEN TO RESIDENTS WHO ARE LIVING PAYCHECK TO PAYCHECK, I THINK IN MANY WAYS WHAT? DR. ARCHER MENTIONED FRANKLY WHAT WE TRY TO DO EACH DAY AND LOCAL GOVERNMENT TO MAKE SURE PEOPLE WILL BE ALRIGHT IS WHAT WE’RE DOING IN THIS SITUATION NOW, THAT’S WHY THE PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION SYSTEM STILL GOING. THAT’S WHY YOU SEE SEE US CONTINUING TO INVEST FRANKLY IN THE FUHRMAN EMERGENCY MEDICAL SERVICES AS WELL. AND SO WE UNDERSTAND THAT THERE WILL BE AN ECONOMIC IMPACT THE FIRST ECONOMIC IMPACT WILL LARGELY HIT OUR CONVENTION OUR TOURISM INDUSTRY AT A TIME WHERE IT’S NOT NECESSARILY GOOD FOR THEM TO BE HIT BUT WE UNDERSTAND THAT THAT’S PART OF WHAT WE’RE DEALING WITH BUT THERE ARE A LOT OF PEOPLE WHO WORK IN THOSE INDUSTRIES. WE ARE COGNIZANT OF THAT AND THE INTEREST OF PUBLIC HEALTH AND PUBLIC SAFETY. WE MADE THESE DECISIONS, BUT WE WERE WHERE THE FACT THAT THIS MAY NEED MORE SUPPORT FROM THE CITY NUMBER OF DIFFERENT AREAS. AND WE’LL LOOK TO THAT AS WE PROCEED NOT JUST OVER THE NEXT SEVERAL WEEKS, BUT OVER THE REST OF THE YEAR. ARE YOU GOOD? CONGRESS IS LOOKING AT SOME OF THOSE RELIEF ISSUES ALSO. YES IN THE GOOD DOCTOR NOTES. THE CONGRESS IS LOOKING AT THOSE RELIEF ISSUES. WE CERTAINLY WILL MAKE SURE THE LOCAL GOVERNMENT LEVEL WE ADDRESS THEM AS WELL AND WE’LL TALK TO EVERYBODY AND JEFFERSON CITY AND CONNECTION WITH IT. AND SO WITH THAT WE THANK YOU WILL HAVE PROBABLY MORE OPPORTUNITIES TO VISIT AND APPRECIATE YOU BEING HERE. THANKS. KANSAS CITY, MISSOURI, MAYOR QUINTON LUCAS SPEAKING WITH LOCAL HEALTH OFFICIALS ABOUT THE EMERGENCY DECLARATION STATE OF EMERGENCY FOR 21 DAYS IN KANSAS CITY, MISSOURI CANCELLATION DELAYS OF ALL EVENTS THAT HAVE MORE THAN ONE THOUSAND PEOPLE THERE. HE IS ALSO BORING NON-ESSENTIAL TRAVEL BOTH DOMESTICALLY AND INTERNATIONALLY FOR CITY EMPLOYEES. WELL AND THE MAYOR AS WELL AS DR. ARCHER ALL EMPHASIZE THE FACT THAT THIS IS AN ABUNDANCE OF CAUTION, BUT WHAT IS NECESSARY, YOU HEARD. DR. TALK ABOUT THE FACT THAT WE COULD SEEING THIS FOR ANOTHER TWO YEARS HERE IN THE METRO AND THAT’S A MINIMUM. THEY DID CONFIRM FOR CASES RIGHT NOW IN JOHNSON COUNTY KANSAS THREE NEW CASES THAT WERE JUST REPORTED TODAY BY THE JOHNSON COUNTY HEALTH DEPARTMENT. THAT’S RIGHT IN MISSOURI. THERE IS ONE CONFIRMED CASE RIGHT NOW THAT’S ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THE STATE IN THE ST. LOUIS AREA AND WE TALK ABOUT WHAT’S CLOSE THE MAYOR MADE A POINT OF SAYING THE AIR PORTS ARE STILL OPEN LARGE SCHOOLS ARE STILL OPEN PUBLIC TRANSIT WILL TAY OPEN. HERE’S WHAT WE KNOW HAS CLOSED IN REALLY JUST LAST 24 HOURS. YOU HAVE THE 12 TOURNAMENT THAT OFFICIALLY SHUT DOWN THIS PMORNING THE FAN FEST ASSOCIATED WITH THAT KANSAS CITY ST. PATRICK’S DAY PARADE ALONG WITH THE SNAKE SATURDAY PARADE AS WELL. YEAH, BROOKSIDE ST. PATRICK’S DAY WARM-UP PARADE. IT IS NOT HAPPENING NOW IS SHAWNI ST. PATRICK’S DAY PARADE. IT’S BEEN CANCELLED THE KANSAS CITY HOME AND LIFESTYLE SHOW AT THE KC CONVENTION CENTER CANCELLED AS WELL. AND YOU HEARD THE MAYOR TALKED ABOUT COMIC-CON WE CHECKED ON THEIR CAR COMIC-CON KANSAS CITY. WE DID CHECK ON THEIR TWITTER FEED. THEY SAID JUS JUST ABOUT 20 MINUTES AGO. THEY TWEETED THEY NEED A LITTLE BIT OF TIME THAT THEY WILL BE OUT WITH AN ANNOUNCEMENT THOUGH. SO IF THAT’S SOMETHING YOU PLAN TO GO TO BE WATCHING FOR THAT, RIGHT? WE’VE BEEN SEEING THESE UPDATES BY THE MINUTE AND BY THE HOUR EVER SINCE LAST NIGHT AND THE PRESIDENT SPOKE FROM THE OVAL OFFICE SO WE WILL CONTINUE TO WATCH ALL OF THESE CHANGES. WE WILL HAVE UPDATES FOR YOU LATER TODAY HERE ON KMBC 9 NEWS AND ONLINE AT KMBC.COM STATE OF EMERGENCY IN KANSAS