Health Commissioner's Order No. 17

This Order No. 17 amends and supplements previous Health Commissioner’s Orders. This Order No. 17 shall become effective immediately on May 3, 2021 at 08:00am and will continue to be in effect until it is extended, rescinded, superseded, or amended in writing by me.

My intent is to ensure that the maximum number of people and businesses take prudent precautions to reduce the exposure to, and slow the spread of, COVID-19. All provisions of this Order shall be interpreted to effectuate this intent.

Whereas, the number of City of St. Louis residents getting vaccinated for COVID-19 is increasing daily and the City continues to monitor the current status of the benchmark metrics for the average new confirmed COVID-19 cases, new hospital admissions, total hospitalized patients and positivity rate (collectively, the “Benchmarks”);

Whereas, new scientific evidence has been made available by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention regarding transmission of SARS CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19; 

These trends having been evaluated and information provided, this Order No. 17 is being adopted in order to revise guidance and standards pertaining to the mitigation of COVID19 as follows:

1. All public accommodations, large venues, event spaces and spaces where people gather shall limit their capacity in accordance with social distancing requirements (maintain 6 feet of distance between individuals and groups from different households or install barriers or partitions) to no more than the number of individuals who can remain socially distant in the space or less.

2. Bars, restaurants, nightclubs shall limit their capacity in accordance with social distancing requirements (maintain 6 feet of distance or install barriers or partitions between individuals and groups from different households) to no more than the number of individuals who can remain socially distant in the space or less and shall close no later than 03:00am. As used herein, the terms “bars”, “restaurants” and “nightclubs” refer to establishments which serve alcoholic beverages for consumption by guests on the premises, including but not limited to, establishments commonly referred to as restaurants, taverns, nightclubs, cocktail lounges, and cabarets.

3. Individuals who meet any of the following criteria are not required to wear a face covering when outdoors:

• fully vaccinated (14 days have passed since completion of the prescribed COVID19 vaccine regimen),
• socially distanced from others who do not live in their household, or
• are with others who are fully vaccinated.

For the avoidance of doubt, nothing in this order applies to day-to-day operations of businesses, schools, institutions of higher learning, and government offices. All such operations continue to be subject to limitations provided in Orders 8, 9, 11, and 13, and 14 including but not limited to...

1. Requiring face coverings;
2. Maintaining a minimum distance of 3 feet between students in primary and secondary schools and a minimum distance of 6 feet between individuals in other settings;
3. Ensuring employees practice appropriate hygiene measures, including regular, thorough handwashing with soap and water and use of hand sanitizer with at least 70% alcohol when soap and water are not available; 
4. Ensuring that employees are screened prior to their work shift and are excluded from work if they are ill; and 
5. Regularly cleaning and disinfecting frequently touched objects and surfaces with EPA approved products. 

BY THE AUTHORITY VESTED IN ME BY ARTICLE XIII, SECTION 14-C (C) OF THE CHARTER OF THE CITY OF ST. LOUIS AND BY 19 CSR 20-20.050 (C) OF THE CODE OF STATE REGULATIONS, AND AFTER THE ABOVE-REFERENCED CRITERIA HAVE BEEN MET, I HEREBY ISSUE THE ORDER ATTACHED HERETO AND INCORPORATED HEREIN BY THIS REFRENCE WITH RESPECT TO THE GRADUAL REOPENING OF THE
CITY.

SO ORDERED:

April 30, 2021

Fredrick Echols, M.D.
Acting Director of Health & Hospitals/Health Commissioner