Jefferson City Council extends emergency declaration while local hospitals report ‘adequate’ capacity.
JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (KMIZ)
The Jefferson City Council extended an emergency declaration, keeping all public city meeting virtual along with other COVID-19 guidelines. The extension lasts through Feb. 1st.
The mandatory mask requirement in city hall and the public during public board and commission meetings was extended. The proclamation also requires all city boards, commissions, and committees to remain virtual.
Relaxed city requirements for businesses that allow for signage centered around curbside pickup will also remain in place.
The city has routinely extended the declaration throughout the pandemic every month to reevaluate the need. Mayor Carrie Tergin told ABC17 News there was no discussion about changing the declaration at all prior to the meeting.
"Going into the new year, it's definitely a new time and a fresh start and we understand that, but it's also a time we have to stay on top of all these habits," Tergin said.
The Cole County Health Department reported 108 new cases on Monday, bringing the total number of cases in the county to 7,103. In total, 90 people have died due to the virus in the county.
Chezney Schulte with the Cole County Health Department said in an email staff has not seen a rise in cases of COVID-19 due to the holidays yet,
"People who were exposed to COVID-19 over the Christmas weekend are nearing the end of the 14 day period so I would have expected that those people would have tested positive late last week or early this week," Schulte said.
She said there is a delay between the time people are tested and the time DHSS notifies the deparment, so staff will monitor the situation closely this week.
SSM Health St. Mary's reported their hospital capacity has returned to where it would usually be around this time of year, and the number of COVID-19 patients being admitted has gone down since the peak in Mid-November.
Nearly 700 employees have been vaccinated at SSM's facilities in Jefferson City and Mexico, according to a spokewoman.
Capital Region Medical Center said while hospital capacity is "adequate" Monday, it is bracing for a "potential surge from the holidays."
CRCM has given over 600 vaccinations and will begin to administer the second dose later this week. A spokeswoman said another round of vaccinations for employees should begin in a few weeks. The vaccinations happened both at their hospital, and local clinics.
