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Some state employees ready for return to work Monday

Gov. Mike Parson
KMIZ
Gov. Mike Parson

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (KMIZ)

More than 2,200 state employees will return to work Monday as major state offices reopen.

Sarah Steelman, head of the Missouri Office of Administration, spoke about the reopening of state offices at Gov. Mike Parson's daily COVID-19 briefing Friday.

You can watch a replay of the news conference in the media player below.

"Beginning Monday we will be reopening major office buildings throughout the state to the public," Steelman said. "Each department will be responsible for deciding which offices to open based on their unique circumstances."

Steelman said "major" offices are defined as those with 300 or more employees. Other state services, such as drivers' license bureaus and vital records, will also reopen, she said.

The Missouri National Guard will provide screening of employees and the public for COVID-19 symptoms at major office buildings, Steelman said.

Nearly 22,000 state employees are already working in their offices, with nearly 15,000 currently working remotely, Steelman said.

Missouri agriculture director Chris Chinn also joined Parson on Friday, seeking to assuage fears about meat shortages after some plant closures.

Those closures will cause market disruptions, Chinn said. But while some store coolers might be bare of some types of meat and prices might rise, widespread shortages are not expected, she said.

"Even during the COVID-19 pandemic, consumers have seen little impact in the grocery store because of our sophisticated food system," Chinn said.

The state is working to reduce those disruptions by working with food processors on steps to lower the risk of employee infection, she said.

The Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services said Friday that 167 workers at a St. Joseph meat processing plant who were not showing symptoms tested positive for COVID-19. A total of 295 workers at the plant have tested positive so far.

State health director Dr. Randall Williams said the 167 new cases contributed to the large jump in COVID-19 cases reported Friday afternoon.

The state health department announced on Friday that COVID-19 cases rose nearly double the daily average over the past four days. As of Friday, 7,835 state residents have tested positive for novel coronavirus.

Parson acknowledged some people will have reservations about going back out as the state's stay-at-home order lifts Monday. However, he stressed the importance of buying from local businesses to boost an economy that is being dragged down by COVID-19.

"Now more than ever our Missouri businesses need our support," Parson said. "And it is important to remember to buy Missouri and support your local businesses."

Article Topic Follows: Coronavirus

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Matthew Sanders

Matthew Sanders is the digital content director at ABC 17 News.

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