Kansas City Stay at Home Order Effective Tuesday

Multiple media outlets are reporting that the Kansas City metropolitan area will be under a stay at home order effective at 12:01AM Tuesday Morning, March 24 in an effort to stop the spread of the coronavirus.

Kansas City Mayor Quintin Lucas announced the order Saturday morning. According to the Kansas City Star Lucas said, “We’re still seeing businesses ranging from gyms to massage parlors continuing to occur,” Lucas said. “My view is that it is essential for public health to make sure that we are getting the stay at home message across.”

The order requires people to stay at their residents except for the purposes of engaging in essential activities.

For purposes of this order, permissible “essential activities” will mean:

• To engage in activities or perform tasks essential to their health and safety, or to the health and safety of their family and close personal acquaintances, such as, by way of example only and without limitation, obtaining medical supplies or medication, visiting a health care professional, or obtaining supplies they need to work from home;
• To obtain necessary services or supplies for themselves and their family or household members, or close personal acquaintances, or to deliver those services or supplies to others, such as, by way of example only and without limitation, canned food, dry goods, fresh fruits and vegetables, pet supply, fresh meats, fish, and poultry, and any other household consumer products, and products necessary to maintain the safety, sanitation, and essential operation of residences;
• To assist in the preparation of food and drink for delivery and carry out, or to pick up food or drink for carry out.
• To engage in outdoor activity, provided the individuals comply with Social Distancing Requirements as defined in this Section, such as, by way of example and without limitation, walking, biking, hiking, or running;
• To perform work providing essential products and services at an Essential Business or to otherwise carry out activities specifically permitted in this Order; and
• To care for a family member, close personal acquaintance, or pet in another household;

“Essential activities” do not include weddings, funerals, wakes, memorial services, or similar gatherings.

The order also requires "non-essential business and other non-essential operations" as defined by the order to cease. You can read the order and definitions here.

KMBC news 9 is reporting other adjacent jurisdictions will also be enacting the same order. "Areas under the order will include Jackson County and Kansas City in Missouri, as well as Johnson County and Wyandotte County, Kansas, including KCK."