KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Platte County has stricken the requirement for businesses reopening May 4 to collect the name and contact information of every person, employees and customers, who enter their doors.
The county’s Health Board made the changes Friday during a special meeting, softening the language significantly and adopting other changes that bring it in line with the reopening plan for Kansas City, Missouri.
Platte County, which rolled back its reopening date from May 15 to May 4 last week, will still allow businesses not inside KCMO city limits to open 11 days sooner than those inside KCMO beginning Monday.
The new language now reads: “When reasonably achievable, event organizers are encouraged to collect names and contact information of persons, including clients, entering a facility. The purpose of this request is to facilitate successful contact tracing of infectious persons.”
Mass gathering at outdoor environments are restricted to no more than 50 and remain subject to social-distancing guidelines. These restrictions apply to faith-based and secular activities — including graduations, weddings, wakes, funerals, receptions and worship services.
For indoor locations, Platte County is adopting aspects of KCMO’s 10/10/10 rule.
Mass gatherings inside are limited to 10 people or fewer or 10% of the facility authorized fire or building code, whichever is greater.
Platte County also added a recommendation that people continue to wear facemasks in public to the amended order.
Deputy Director Dan Luebbert explained that one reason indoor gatherings are more strictly limited than retail operations at essential businesses is the proximity and length of time spend engaged in those activities.
“People want to know why events like indoor weddings have stricter limits on them than retail stores seem to have,” Luebbert said. “The reason is that folks attending weddings spend a longer period of time in close proximity to one another.”
Businesses still must file a plan for safely reopening with the county before they will be permitted to welcome back customers.
For business owners unsure what to do, he suggested looking at the Safe Return KC guidelines.
A complete list of businesses and a summary of restrictions in place will be posted this weekend on the Platte County Health Department’s website.
