Downtown Columbia prepares for busy holiday weekend as coronavirus remains active
COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)
Vaccination rates in Missouri remain low and mask mandates non-existent as the state prepares for a Fourth of July weekend where large gatherings are expected.
Meanwhile, new coronavirus cases are up and health officials are warning about the virus spreading.
The Fourth of July is Sunday, and downtown Columbia has events planned for the entire weekend that are sure to draw large crowds. Local business owners have no plan to change their COVID precautions, but those look different from business to business.
With the authority for private businesses to decide whether to enforce a mask requirement, strategies for dealing with the pandemic vary depending on the shop, restaurant or company. Joe Cheuvalier, owner of Yellow Dog Bookshop, has enforced a mask requirement in his shop since it reopened following the lockdown in June 2020.
"Our decision to stay requiring masks is based largely on vaccination rates," Cheuvalier said.
Although Missouri ranks 38th in state vaccination rates, according to the Becker Hospital Review, Boone County is leading the state with 50% of the eligible population fully vaccinated. But the county has seen its own surge in case rates over the past couple of weeks.
The county's active cases have shot up to 270 after weeks in the double digits. The daily average of new cases was nearly 30 as of Thursday, after starting June at just seven, according to the county health department dashboard. Cases are also up in Columbia Public Schools, with 31 active student cases and 352 students in quarantine. Of the quarantined students, 247 are in elementary school.
Sara Humm with Boone and Columbia Public Health and Human Services said vaccination is the preferred method for preventing COVID transmission, but it's too late for someone to become fully vaccinated by the Fourth of July. Instead, Humm recommends practicing other mitigation efforts, such as social distancing, wearing a mask and staying home if you're sick.
Check back for more on this developing story and watch ABC 17 News at 5 and 6.
