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The Perry County Commission, Perry County Health Department, City of Perryville and City of Altenburg issued a joint statement Tuesday regarding community gatherings in relation to the COVID-19 pandemic.
“As a preventative measure in order to protect the most vulnerable members of our community, and in accordance with the [Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s] updated guidance, our local administration strongly urges the cancellation or suspension of public mass gatherings of 50 or more individuals for the next eight weeks,” said Perry County Presiding Commissioner Mike Sauer.
The statement was issued in the wake of a news conference Sunday evening by Missouri Gov. Mike Parson, in which he called on Missourians to use “common sense and personal responsibility to work through these tough times.”
“We ask that facilities that attract large concentrations of senior citizens to strongly consider restrictions and closures, in consultation with health authorities, to protect those most vulnerable to this virus,” Parson said. “We encourage schools to follow CDC guidelines and consult with local health care providers and public health authorities as decisions are made on whether to keep school in session.”
The CDC’s new guidelines include a list of examples of the type of gatherings they are cautioning against.
“Large events and mass gatherings can contribute to the spread of COVID-19 in the United States via travelers who attend these events and introduce the virus to new communities,” the statement reads. “Examples of large events and mass gatherings include conferences, festivals, parades, concerts, sporting events, weddings, and other types of assemblies. These events can be planned not only by organizations and communities but also by individuals.”
Locally, a number of events have already been canceled or postponed, among them the weekly Veterans Coffee each Tuesday morning at Missouri’s National Veterans Memorial in Perryville. In addition, all schools in Perry County will be closed until April.
According to Perry County Senior Center administrator Susan Foster, concerns over the virus have also necessitated changes in the center’s meal service.
“The notice came from the health department today that for groups of 50 or more, they were recommending highly not to congregate,” Foster said Tuesday, “and I will have
75-100 people in this place every day. My board made a final decision this morning that we would close for in-house dining to keep our public from congregating together. Seniors are most vulnerable population we have with this virus.”
Foster said the center will continue delivering meals to seniors’ homes and will also offer drive-through meals.
“If there’s anyone aged 55-and-over that needs that daily nutrition that is a home-bound client, we would be happy to talk to them and get them assessed for home-delivered meals,” Foster said.
Foster encouraged those who would like more information to call the Senior Center at 573-547-2188.
COVID-19, which stands for “coronavirus disease 2019,” is caused by a virus named SARS-CoV-2.
COVID-19 is a member of the coronavirus family of viruses, some of which can infect people and animals, named for crown-like spikes on their surfaces.
The viruses can cause the common cold or more severe diseases such as SARS (severe acute respiratory syndrome), MERS (Middle East respiratory syndrome) and COVID-19, the latter of which first appeared in late 2019 in Wuhan, China.
Symptoms of COVID-19 can include fever, cough and breathing trouble. Most develop only mild symptoms. But some people, usually the elderly or those with other medical complications, develop more severe symptoms, including pneumonia, which can be fatal.
According to Johns Hopkins University, the number of cases reported across the nation topped 3,700 confirmed cases in the United States on Monday, although many experts agree the number could be much higher. The World Health Organization reports more than 168,000 cases worldwide, with 6,600 deaths resulting from complications related to COVID-19. As of noon Monday, more than 70 people in the U.S. have died.
In Missouri, the number of cases had reached 15 as of Tuesday, including four in St. Louis County and one in the City of St. Louis. There have been more than 100 cases reported in Illinois, along with one death. According to Perry County Health Department director Sylvia Forester, as of Tuesday, there have been no reported cases in Perry County.
Forester called the precautions a “preventative measure.”
“The Perry County Health Department looks to the Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services and the CDC, the leading state and national public health experts, to inform decision making and recommendations on a local level,” Forester said. “The situation is ever changing. As recommendations and guidance from these experts change, so may our recommendations.”
The CDC’s list of considerations intended to help organizers make decisions regarding their events include:
The overall number of attendees. Larger gatherings (for example, more than 250 people) offer more opportunities for person-to-person contact and therefore pose greater risk of COVID-19 transmission.
The number of people attending who are at greater risk of more serious illness after contracting COVID-19. Older adults and persons with severe pre-existing health conditions are thought to be at increased risk.
The density of attendees within a confined area. Based on what is currently known about the virus, spread from person-to-person happens most frequently among close contacts (within 6 feet).
The potential economic impact to participants, attendees, staff, and the larger community.
The level of transmission in your local community and the level of transmission in the areas from which your attendees will travel.
To better understand the level of community transmission in a community (and in the communities from which a attendees will be traveling), consult with your local and/or state public health department.
If there are ways in which to significantly reduce the number of attendees. For example, for sporting events or school concerts, organizers could consider holding the event but significantly reduce the number of audience members.
At a minimal-to-moderate level of community transmission, it is recommended to:
Cancel community-wide mass gatherings (for example, more than 250 people; the cutoff threshold is at the discretion of community leadership based on the current circumstances the community is facing and the nature of the event) or move to smaller groupings.
Cancel gatherings of more than 10 people for organizations that serve higher-risk populations.
In its statement, the CDC recommended that events of any size should only be continued if they could be carried out with adherence to guidelines for protecting vulnerable populations, hand hygiene, and social distancing. When feasible, organizers could modify events to be virtual.
Avoiding sickness is pretty simple, Forester said.
“Everyone will play a role in helping to protect our community and our most vulnerable populations,” said Forester. “We cannot express enough to properly wash your hands, disinfect regularly, stay home if you are sick, and practice safe distancing; putting space between yourself and others even if they are not sick, in order to reduce illness transmission.”
In the meantime, Perryville Mayor Ken Baer said he hopes the local communities will stick together during the crisis.
“The USA is blessed by our Creator as a beacon of freedom and strength to the world,” Baer said. “Through our faith and fortitude, we will overcome this crisis. We will work together and care for one another.”
