White House Coronavirus Task Force Says Missouri Needs To Do More To Curb 'Unrelenting' Spread

The White House is recommending limiting restaurant indoor capacity to less than 25%. Kansas City metro health departments have only reduced capacity to 50%.

Missouri’s coronavirus spread is “exponential and unyielding,” according to the latest White House Coronavirus Task Force report to the state.

“There is now aggressive, unrelenting, expanding broad community spread across the country, reaching most counties, without evidence of improvement but rather, further deterioration,” the document states. “Current mitigation efforts are inadequate and must be increased to flatten the curve to sustain the health system for both COVID and non-COVID emergencies.”

The report, dated Nov. 15, paints a grim picture of the pandemic’s toll. Almost every county in the state has moderate or high levels of coronavirus transmission, and hospitals have seen new admissions increase more than 30% over the past week, according to the task force. Missouri is averaging 4,239 new cases a day, according to state data.

“Serious messaging and action are needed from the state leadership; recommending Missourians wear masks in public settings communicates the current risk level,” the task force states in its weekly report. Members include the vice president, CDC director and top infectious disease expert, Dr. Anthony Fauci. KCUR obtained a copy of the report Wednesday through a public records request.

According to the Missouri State Medical Association director of government relations, Heidi Geisbuhler Sutherland, the report underscores the need for a state mask mandate. The group of physicians has advocated for a masking requirement since July.

“We just hear consistently from our physicians who work in hospitals, that they are just exhausted and they are just stressed to the extreme,” she said.

Missouri Gov. Mike Parson has repeatedly stressed that he believes cities and counties are in the best position to determine if a mask mandate makes sense. At a press conference last week, Parson said the broad support he received in November’s election is an indication that Missourians support a local approach.

... more at ...

https://www.kcur.org/health/2020-11-18/white-house-coronavirus-task-force-says-missouri-needs-to-do-more-to-curb-unrelenting-spread