Your feedback ensures we stay focused on the facts that matter to you most—take our survey

Documenting Missouri's path to recovery from the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, 2020-2021

From Ballotpedia
Jump to: navigation, search
Scroll here for more articles
Documenting America's Path.png
Missouri coronavirus coverage
Debate in Missouri
Missouri government responses
School reopenings in Missouri

State government responses
Multistate agreementsNon-governmental plans
Debate over responses to the coronavirus pandemic
ElectionsReligious service restrictionsSchool closuresState lockdownsDebates by state
Related coronavirus coverage
Changes to electionsFederal responsesState responses
Reopening plans by state


Ballotpedia’s coverage of COVID-19 includes how federal, state, and local governments are responding, and how those responses are influencing election rules and operations, political campaigns, the economy, schools, and more.

This article contains a general timeline of noteworthy state government responses to the coronavirus pandemic since April 2020. It also includes details on three specific types of state responses to the pandemic:

Additionally, the article includes:


Response news updates

The following section provides a timeline of Missouri's reopening activity beginning in April 2020. The entries, which come from our Documenting America's Path to Recovery newsletter, are sorted by month in reverse chronological order. The date shown is the day that we wrote about them in the newsletter. They appear exactly as they appeared in the newsletter.

July 2021

  • July 22: On July 21, Gov. Mike Parson (R) launched a vaccine incentive program, MO VIP. Parson said that 900 Missourians who had been vaccinated or who get vaccinated over the next three months will be eligible to receive cash or education savings account prizes worth $10,000. Drawings begin Aug. 13 and will continue every two weeks until Oct. 8.
  • July 8: On July 7, Gov. Mike Parson (R) signed SB51 into law, which protects healthcare providers, businesses, religious organizations, and other entities from civil liability related to the coronavirus.

June 2021

  • June 16: Gov. Mike Parson (R) signed HB 271, prohibiting local governments from requiring proof of vaccination to access public facilities and services. The bill also limits local emergency powers. Local governments can only issue public health orders that restrict the activities of businesses, churches, schools, and other places of assembly for up to 30 days in a 180-day period if the governor has declared a state of emergency. If the governor has not declared an emergency, local governments can issue public health restrictions for up to 21 days in a 180-day period. Local governing bodies can extend public health restrictions with a simple majority vote if a statewide emergency exists. If no statewide emergency exists, local governing bodies can extend public health restrictions with a two-thirds vote.
  • June 14: The state ended its participation in pandemic-related federal unemployment benefit programs June 12. Gov. Mike Parson (R) made the announcement May 11.

May 2021

  • May 17: Gov. Mike Parson (R) directed all state employees to return to pre-coronavirus in-person work settings no later than May 17. All state buildings must reopen to the public during normal business hours.
  • May 12: Gov. Mike Parson (R) announced the state will stop participating in pandemic-related federal unemployment benefit programs starting June 12.
  • May 7: Gov. Mike Parson (R) announced the Missouri National Guard is scaling back its operations at mass vaccination sites and will end its involvement by June 1. Parson said the change is due to greater vaccine availability at local pharmacies and lower demand.
  • May 6: Gov. Mike Parson (R) directed all state employees to return to pre-coronavirus in-person work settings no later than May 17. On the same day, all state buildings must reopen to the public during normal business hours.

April 2021

  • April 9: All residents 16 and older are eligible for vaccination starting April 9. Previously, all residents in Phase 2 were eligible.

March 2021

  • March 30: Gov. Mike Parson (R) extended the state’s coronavirus emergency order through Aug. 31.
  • March 29: All residents in Phase 2 (including construction workers, higher education faculty and staff, and homeless people) are eligible for vaccinations starting March 29.
  • March 19: Gov. Mike Parson (R) announced everyone in Phase 2 (including construction workers, higher education faculty and staff, and homeless people) will be eligible for vaccinations starting March 29. On April 5, all adults will become eligible to receive vaccines.
  • March 15: Individuals in Phase 1B - Tier 3 are eligible for vaccinations starting March 15. The phase includes school employees, grocery store workers, and critical infrastructure workers (including people in the energy, food, and agriculture sectors).
  • March 5: Gov. Mike Parson (R) announced the state will allocate 15% of its vaccine supply to the State Pharmacy Program.
  • March 2: Gov. Mike Parson (R) released information on vaccine allocations to high-volume vaccination centers for March 1-14.

February 2021

  • February 26: Gov. Mike Parson (R) announced individuals in Phase 1B - Tier 3 will be eligible for vaccinations starting March 15. The phase will include school employees, grocery store workers, and critical infrastructure workers (including people in the energy, food, and agriculture sectors).
  • February 10: Gov. Mike Parson (R) announced the locations for mass vaccination events between Feb. 9-13.
  • February 9: Gov. Mike Parson (R) announced the launch of the COVID-19 Vaccine Navigator tool. Residents can register to be notified when they become eligible to receive a vaccine and schedule appointments at local vaccination sites.
  • February 3: Gov. Mike Parson (R) announced the locations for mass vaccination events between Feb. 4-6. Parson also announced partnerships with certain hospitals to support high-volume distribution in each region. The state will select hospitals it identifies as having the capacity to administer at least 5,000 vaccines per week.

January 2021

  • January 27: The state released a vaccine distribution dashboard on Jan. 26.
  • January 19: Phase 1b - Tier 2 of the state’s vaccine distribution plan started Jan. 18. It includes individuals age 65 or older and any adult with a high-risk condition (like COPD, cancer, type 2 diabetes, or severe obesity). Previously, Phase 1b - Tier 1 started Jan. 14, making the vaccine available to first responders and public health professionals.

November 2020

  • November 23: Gov. Mike Parson (R) extended the state’s coronavirus emergency order through March 31, 2021.
  • November 20: Gov. Mike Parson (R) announced he is extending the state’s coronavirus emergency through March 2021.

September 2020

  • September 25: Gov. Mike Parson (R) announced updated guidance for nursing home and long-term care facility visitation. The guidance is non-binding.

July 2020

  • July 13: The Department of Education released guidance for reopening schools. Recommendations include screening students and faculty for symptoms, limiting students and faculty to the same group of people every day (cohorting), and requesting students and faculty wear masks.

June 2020

  • June 16: The state is entering the second phase of reopening on June 16. Phase Two completely lifts statewide restrictions and health orders. Local officials can still implement more stringent regulations.
  • June 12: Gov. Mike Parson (R) announced the state will enter the second phase of reopening starting June 16. Phase Two will completely lift statewide restrictions and health orders. Local officials will still be able to implement regulations. Parson also extended Missouri’s state of emergency through Dec. 30, 2020.
  • June 11: On June 11, Gov. Mike Parson (R) was expected to announce the state will enter Phase Two of the reopening plan on June 15. Information on Phase Two changes is not yet available.
  • June 10: The state announced fall reopenings for schools would occur at the discretion of county and school board officials.
  • June 1: Casinos are permitted to reopen on June 1.

May 2020

  • May 29: Gov. Mike Parson (R) extended Phase One of the Show Me Strong Recovery Plan through June 15.
  • May 18: Missouri state park campgrounds began reopening to guests with reservations on May 18. State park beaches will also open to the public on May 21.
  • May 4: In Missouri, retail businesses can reopen their physical locations Monday, provided the locations limit the number of persons to either 25 percent or less of maximum occupancy for buildings with square footage of less than 10,000 sq. ft., or 10 percent or less of maximum occupancy for buildings with square footage of 10,000 sq. ft. or more. The order, which Director of the Department of Health and Senior Services Randall W. Williams issued, also allowed restaurants to resume dine-in services, provided they abide by social distancing guidelines. Missouri is a Republican trifecta.

April 2020

  • April 27: Gov. Mike Parson (R) is scheduled to announce reopening plans Monday afternoon.


Vaccine distribution

This section contains a table of quick facts on the state’s vaccine distribution plan and a timeline of noteworthy events, including updates on vaccine availability for new groups of individuals, changes to state distribution plans, and much more. If you know of a noteworthy story we are missing, please email us at editor@ballotpedia.org.

The Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services released a distribution plan on November 11, 2020.

Quick facts

Missouri state vaccination plan quick information
What governing entities are responsible for vaccine allocation and distribution?[1] State Implementation Team
Where can I find a quick breakdown of phases in my state? N/A[2]
Where can I find the distribution plan? Missouri COVID-19 Vaccination Plan
When was the plan first released to the public? November 11, 2020
When was the plan most recently updated? December 21, 2020
Where can I find answers to frequently asked questions? Get the Facts
Where can I find data related to the coronavirus vaccine in my state? COVID-19 Vaccinations in Missouri
Where is the state health department's homepage? Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services
Where can I find additional information about the state's vaccine distribution? The COVID-19 Vaccine Distribution Plan in Missouri - AARP

Timeline

  • May 6, 2021: Missouri Gov. Mike Parson (R) announced the Missouri National Guard was scaling back its operations at mass vaccination sites and would end its involvement by June 1. Parson said the change was due to greater vaccine availability at local pharmacies and lower demand.[3]
  • April 9, 2021: Missouri residents 16 and older became eligible for vaccination. Previously, all residents in Phase 2 were eligible.[4]
  • March 29, 2021: Missouri residents in Phase 2 (including construction workers, higher education faculty and staff, and homeless people) became eligible for vaccinations.[5]
  • March 18, 2021: Missouri Gov. Mike Parson (R) announced everyone in Phase 2 (including construction workers, higher education faculty and staff, and homeless people) would be eligible for vaccinations starting March 29. On April 5, all adults were scheduled to become eligible to receive vaccines.[6]
  • March 15, 2021: Missouri residents in Phase 1B - Tier 3 became eligible for vaccinations. The phase included school employees, grocery store workers, and critical infrastructure workers (including people in the energy, food, and agriculture sectors).[7]
  • February 25, 2021: Missouri Gov. Mike Parson (R) announced individuals in Phase 1B - Tier 3 would be eligible for vaccinations starting March 15. The phase was scheduled to include school employees, grocery store workers, and critical infrastructure workers (including people in the energy, food, and agriculture sectors).[8]
  • February 9, 2021: Missouri Gov. Mike Parson (R) announced the locations for mass vaccination events between Feb. 9-13.[9]
  • February 8, 2021: Missouri Gov. Mike Parson (R) announced the launch of the COVID-19 Vaccine Navigator tool.[10]
  • January 18, 2021: Phase 1b - Tier 2 of Missouri’s vaccine distribution plan started Jan. 18. It included individuals age 65 or older and any adult with a high-risk condition (like COPD, cancer, type 2 diabetes, or severe obesity). Previously, Phase 1b - Tier 1 started on Jan. 14, making the vaccine available to first responders and public health professionals.[11]

Statewide travel restrictions

See also: Travel restrictions issued by states in response to the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, 2020-2021


As of September 7, 2021, Missouri had not issued any travel restrictions.

More information can be found at Visit Missouri.


School reopenings and closures

See also: School responses in Missouri to the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic

Schools in Missouri were closed to in-person instruction on March 19, 2020, and remained closed for the remainder of the 2019-2020 academic year. To notify us of when schools were allowed to reopen statewide, email us. The timeline below lists statewide responses we tracked.

  • June 29, 2021: At the end of the school year, Burbio reported most schools were in-person in Missouri .[12][13]
  • Sept. 10, 2020: At the beginning of the school year, Burbio reported about half of schools were in-person in Missouri .[14][15]
  • July 14, 2020: The Missouri Department of Education released guidance for reopening schools. Recommendations included screening students and faculty for symptoms, limiting students and faculty to the same group of people every day (cohorting), and requesting students and faculty wear masks.[16]
  • June 9, 2020: Missouri Education Commissioner Margie Vandeven announced fall reopenings for schools would occur at the discretion of county and school board officials.[17]


  • April 9, 2020: Gov. Mike Parson (R) closed schools for the remainder of the academic year. Prior to the announcement, schools were closed through April 24.[4]
  • April 3, 2020: As part of a stay-at-home order issued by Parson, the statewide school closure scheduled to end April 3 was extended through April 24.[18]
  • March 19, 2020: Parson announced that all schools across the state had temporarily closed. Parsons did not issue a statewide closure, but said all local districts had chosen to close.[19] The Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education later announced that schools would not reopen until at least April 6.[20]

Statewide mask requirements

See also: State-level mask requirements in response to the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, 2020


Missouri did not issue a statewide mask requirement.


Noteworthy lawsuits

See also: Lawsuits about state actions and policies in response to the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, 2020-2021

Morningside Church, Inc. v. Rutledge: On August 27, 2020, Judge M. Douglas Harpool, of the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Missouri, dismissed a lawsuit by televangelist Jim Bakker against four Arkansas and California attorneys who were investigating Bakker's sale of a silver-based product he claimed can cure COVID-19. In his complaint, filed against the Attorney General of Arkansas, the District Attorneys of Merced and San Joaquin Counties, and the City Attorney of Los Angeles, Bakker argued that he was "divinely inspired" to sell the product "to the world, and such offerings are an integral part of" his religious mission. Bakker sued to block the collection of names, addresses, and personal financial information, arguing it would amount to a violation of the freedom to exercise religion and freedom of speech. In his order, Harpool wrote that Bakker "cannot establish the minimum contacts required to invoke personal jurisdiction" over the attorneys in the Western District Court, a procedural requirement limiting the courts in which a defendant can be sued. Consequently, Harpool dismissed Bakker's suit. Arkansas Attorney General Leslie Rutledge (R) responded to the dismissal: "I will not tolerate illegal schemes used by Mr. Bakker that directly harm Arkansas consumers financially or physically." Former Governor of Missouri Jay Nixon (D), an attorney for Bakker, said: "It's extremely disturbing that this is happening in America."[21][22][23][24]

Missouri ex rel. Schmitt v. Page: On May 11, 2021, Missouri Attorney General Eric Schmitt (R) filed a lawsuit over ongoing COVID-19 restrictions in St. Louis County. In his complaint, filed in St. Louis County Circuit Court, Schmitt said that St. Louis County's COVID-19 mitigation measures were "among the most aggressive and restrictive imposed by any county in the State of Missouri." He argued that these measures "continue to impose unjustified burdens on religious, economic, and personal freedom.” He also argued that St. Louis County’s policies violated the state constitution’s protection of freedom of association and imposed a requirement for pre-approval of religious activities and restrictions on places of worship in violation of Missouri’s Religious Freedom Restoration Act. St. Louis County and St. Louis rescinded most of the challenged restrictions on May 14, 2021, following new guidance for vaccinated individuals issued by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control. Reacting to this decision, Schmitt said, "This is a great victory for the people of St. Louis County."[25][26][27]

Schmitt v. Page: On July 26, 2021, Missouri Attorney General Eric Schmitt (R) filed suit against the city and county of St. Louis for re-imposing a mask mandate. The mandate required those aged five and older to wear a mask in indoor public places regardless of vaccination status. In his petition to the court, Schmitt argued that "St. Louis County and St. Louis City seek expanded government power that has failed to protect Missouri citizens living within their boundaries in the past and is not based on sound facts and data." Schmitt described the new mask mandate as "a continuation of a series of arbitrary, capricious, unlawful, and unconstitutional COVID-19 related restrictions." On July 27, 2021, the St. Louis County Council voted 5-2 to terminate the mandate. However, following that vote, St. Louis County Executive Dr. Sam Page issued a statement maintaining that the mandate remained in effect, pending resolution of Schmitt's lawsuit. Schmitt asked the St. Louis County Circuit Court for a temporary restraining order and preliminary injunction to block enforcement of the mandate. On July 30, 2021, the defendants (including Page and other St. Louis county and city officials) filed a notice of removal to transfer proceedings from state court to the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Missouri. On August 1, 2021, U.S. District Court Judge Stephen Clark, a Donald Trump (R) appointee, remanded the matter back to state court, writing, "The fate of the mask mandates under Missouri law belongs in the Missouri state courts.”[28][29][30]

Officials and candidates diagnosed with or quarantined due to coronavirus

See also: Government official, politician, and candidate deaths, diagnoses, and quarantines due to the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, 2020-2021

The table below lists officials or candidates who have been diagnosed with or quarantined due to coronavirus. The most recent announcements appear first.

Name Office Date Status
Mike Parson Governor of Missouri September 23, 2020 Parson announced that he and his wife had tested positive for coronavirus.[31]
Becky Ruth Missouri House of Representatives District 114 March 20, 2020 Ruth entered a self-quarantine after learning another state representative tested positive for COVID-19.[32]
Joe Runions Missouri House of Representatives District 37 March 20, 2020 Runions learned that he had tested positive for coronavirus.[33]
Mary Coleman (Missouri) Missouri House of Representatives District 97 March 20, 2020 Coleman entered a self-quarantine after learning another state representative, with whom she had direct contact, tested positive for COVID-19.[34]
Ann Wagner U.S. House Missouri District 2 March 18, 2020 Wagner announced a self-quarantine after a colleague she had participated in a small group meeting with tested positive for coronavirus.[35]
Andrew Koenig Missouri State Senate District 15 January 22, 2021 Koenig announced that he had tested positive for coronavirus.[36]
Quinton Lucas Mayor of Kansas City, Missouri December 31, 2021

March 17, 2020

Lucas announced on December 31, 2021, that he tested positive for COVID-19. He said he was vaccinated at the time he contracted the virus.[37]

Lucas self-quarantined after two council members were informed that they might have been exposed to coronavirus after attending a conference.[38]

Quinton Lucas Mayor of Kansas City December 31, 2021

March 17, 2020

Lucas announced on December 31, 2021, that he tested positive for COVID-19. He said he was vaccinated at the time he contracted the virus.[39]

Lucas self-quarantined after two council members were informed that they might have been exposed to coronavirus after attending a conference.[40]

Sara Walsh Missouri House of Representatives District 50 August 3, 2021 Walsh announced on Facebook that she and her husband contracted COVID-19.[41]

Paths to recovery by state

To read about other states’ responses and recoveries, click one of the links below:

Other state government responses

To view previous coverage areas, including changes to 2020 election dates and policies, initial stay-at-home orders, coronavirus-related legislation, and much more, click a state in the map below.

https://ballotpedia.org/Government_responses_to_and_political_effects_of_the_coronavirus_pandemic,_2020_(STATE)

General resources

The chart below shows coronavirus statistics from countries across the world. The information is provided by Real Clear Politics.

Click the links below to explore official resources related to the coronavirus outbreak.

See also

Footnotes

  1. Found in Section 2 of the state's vaccination plan
  2. Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; no text was provided for refs named NA
  3. Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; no text was provided for refs named MO56
  4. 4.0 4.1 St. Louis Post-Dispatch, "Governor: Missouri schools will not reopen this spring," April 9, 2020
  5. Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; no text was provided for refs named MO329
  6. Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; no text was provided for refs named MO318
  7. Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; no text was provided for refs named MO315
  8. Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; no text was provided for refs named MO225
  9. Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; no text was provided for refs named MO29
  10. Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; no text was provided for refs named MO28
  11. Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; no text was provided for refs named MO118
  12. Burbio rated Missouri's in-person index at 90.4. To read more about Burbio's school opening tracker, click here. To read more about Burbio's methodology, click here.
  13. Burbio, "Burbio's K-12 School Opening Tracker," accessed Oct. 8, 2021
  14. Burbio rated Missouri's in-person index between 40-60. To read more about Burbio's school opening tracker, click here. To read more about Burbio's methodology, click here.
  15. Burbio, "Burbio's K-12 School Opening Tracker," accessed Oct. 8, 2021
  16. FOX 2, "Missouri releases guidelines schools may follow for reopening," July 14, 2020
  17. KY3, "Reopening Missouri schools will be up to districts and counties, not state," June 9, 2020
  18. Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education, "Coronavirus (COVID-19) Information," accessed April 6, 2020
  19. Springfield News-Leader, "All Missouri public schools temporarily closed, Governor Parson says," March 19, 2020
  20. Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education, "DESE-Related Coronavirus (COVID-19) Information," accessed March 27, 2020
  21. United States District Court for the Western District of Missouri, "Morningside Church, Inc. v. Rutledge: Order," August 27, 2020
  22. United States District Court for the Western District of Missouri, "Morningside Church, Inc. v. Rutledge: Complaint," June 5, 2020
  23. KARK.com, "Attorney General Rutledge applauds court’s dismissal of ‘frivolous’ lawsuit by Jim Bakker," August 28, 2020
  24. Springfield News-Leader, "Judge dismisses Jim Bakker lawsuit against attorneys investigating sale of COVID-19 'cure,'" August 28, 2020
  25. St. Louis County Circuit Court, "Missouri ex rel. Schmitt v. Page: Petition," May 11, 2021
  26. St. Louis County, "County rescinds mask requirements," accessed May 18, 2021
  27. Missouri Attorney General, "Missouri Attorney General Statement on St. Louis County Lifting COVID-19 Restrictions," May 14, 2021
  28. St. Louis County Circuit Court, "Schmitt v. Page: Petition," accessed August 3, 2021
  29. St. Louis Public Radio, "St. Louis County Council Blocks Indoor Mask Mandate, Issue To Be Decided In Court," July 28, 2021
  30. United States District Court for the Eastern District of Missouri, "Schmitt v. Page: Memorandum and Order," August 1, 2021
  31. CNN', "Missouri governor and his wife test positive for Covid-19," September 23, 2020
  32. Leader Publications, "Two county state reps out of quarantine after possible exposure to coronavirus," April 1, 2020
  33. St. Louis Post-Dispatch', "Missouri lawmaker tests positive for COVID-19," March 20, 2020
  34. Leader Publications, "Two county state reps out of quarantine after possible exposure to coronavirus," April 1, 2020
  35. Twitter, "Bryan Lowry on March 18, 2020," accessed March 19, 2020
  36. The Kansas City Star, "Missouri state senator who said risking COVID is ‘my choice’ tests positive for virus," January 22, 2021
  37. The Kansas City Star, "Kansas City Mayor Quinton Lucas announces he tests positive for COVID-19," December 31, 2021
  38. Kansas City Star, Half of KC Council self-quarantines after possible COVID-19 contact: Mayor’s office," March 17, 2020
  39. The Kansas City Star, "Kansas City Mayor Quinton Lucas announces he tests positive for COVID-19," December 31, 2021
  40. Kansas City Star, Half of KC Council self-quarantines after possible COVID-19 contact: Mayor’s office," March 17, 2020
  41. Columbia Daily Tribune, "Missouri State Rep. Sara Walsh and her husband Steve, both unvaccinated, have COVID-19," August 6, 2021