To sign this letter CLICK HERE
Columbia COVID-19 Request for Regulations
*Whereas, in the US, case counts of COVID 19 are growing at an accelerated rate in several states, and an unsustainably high number of new daily cases are being identified;
*Whereas, in Missouri, case counts of COVID 19 are increasing and accelerating consistently since mid- June, and Missouri has been designated a “red zone”;
*Whereas Missouri fluctuates between the highest and the second highest Rt value in the nation, indicating that the rate of spread is high;
*Whereas, in Boone County, cases of COVID 19 are also increasing, and Boone County falls in the top ten counties in the state of Missouri for total case counts;
*Whereas, in Boone County the positivity rate exceeds the World Health Organization's threshold for reopening of 5% or lower for at least 14 days, indicating that insufficient testing is being conducted to know how much of the virus is spreading within the community;
*Whereas cases in the US, in MO, and in Boone County have shifted to be more common among young and emerging adults, with 25% of the positive cases in Boone County between the ages of 20 and 24; and
*Whereas Columbia/Boone County annually welcomes over 30,000 new and returning students, faculty, and support staff to our local colleges in the month of August,
We the undersigned health professionals urge our leaders at the city and county level to immediately enact evidence-based measures to slow the spread of COVID19 in our communities.
These measures include:
Closing all bars;
Restricting all restaurants to outdoor seating and take-out service;
Closing all indoor movie theaters, arcades, bowling alleys, concert and music halls; and
Closing all indoor exercise facilities.
We are also asking that you prepare stepwise policies to move gradually to a full and complete shutdown of all non-essential activity so long as cases continue to climb, including some clear, evidence-based guidelines and criteria for a stepwise reopening.
In addition, we support a fully staffed and funded Department of Public Health and Human Services at this important time. We ask that the majority of the CARES act funding and any future Federal and State Funding be offered to the Department of Health as a priority.
Sincerely,
Elizabeth Allemann, MD Family Physician, Private Practice
Debra Howenstine, MD Associate Professor Emerita, University of Missouri Department of Family and Community Medicine
Jamie Smith, RN, BSN
David Mehr, MD Professor Emeritus of Family and Community Medicine, University of Missouri
Margie Sable, DrPH, MSW Professor Emerita of Social Work, University of Missouri
Aaron Brown, Bar Manager, 44 Canteen
George Smith, Professor Emeritus of Biological Sciences at MU
Jeff Muscato, Columbia Resident
Ellis Froeschle, MD
10. Susan Pereira, MD
Nathaniel Murphey, MD
Lynn Rossy, Health Psychologist
Kandace Grossman, MA PhD candidate at MU
Lee Martin, LCSW Psychotherapist
Mary Creger, ACNS, RN
Dennis Hodo, PE, Citizen
Shannon Canfield, MPH Family Medicine Research Analyst/Project Director
Susan Austin, RN, MSN, MEd Citizen
Otter Bowman, MA Candidate, iSchool@Mizzou, Citizen
20. Jeff Belden, MD Professor Emeritus of Clinical Family and Community Medicine
Stacy Self, MA Teacher, Business Owner, Parent
Ashely Burnam, BSN Mother, healing sound practitioner
Katie Barnes, MA Photojournalism, Photographer
Mark Haim, Concerned Citizen
Iran Tabatabaeian, MPH Health Educator
Suzanne Bagby, Columbia Resident
Katy Miller, Associate of Midwifery Science, Certified Professional Midwife
Daryle Bascom, Chief Operations Officer- The Food Bank for Central & Northeast MO
Melinda Hemmelgarn, MS Registered Dietician
30.Chris Lawrence, PhD, SEP Psychologist
Hope Martin, Citizen
Corri Flaker, LMT
Bette Fletcher, PhD Retired Clinical Psychologist
Tim O'Connor, MD Pediatrician
Kimberly Watkins, Lead Security Officer
Christy Henley, DC Physician of Chiropractic and Acupuncture
Charlene Adkins, MD Associate Clinical Professor
Tara Barnett, LAc Licensed Acupuncturist
Laurel Baumstark, MD ER physician
40. Andrew Twaddle, PhD Medical Sociologist, Professor Emeritus of Sociology
Mandy Manderino, RN, PhD Associate Professor Emeritus School of Nursing, Psychologist, private practice, retired.
Catherine Magill, MD Pediatrician
Cynthia Boley Sr., LPN
Kathleen Neason, RN Retired ER nurse currently working in medical research
Amy Zguta MD MHA Ophthalmologist
April Burney, BS Band management
Shayna Fasken, DC Chiropractic Physician
Melissa Maerz-Malone, NP-C Nurse Practitioner
Ginny Chadwick, MPH Program Coordinator, Family and Community Medicine
Christine Lero, MSW, LCSW, CSW-G Therapist, Research Specialist, Department of Family and Community Medicine
50. Mary Schaeffer, PhD Biochemist, concerned citizen
Brianna Hook, MA Lecturer, MU
Martha Echols, Citizen, parent
Virginia Bzdeck, RN, PhD in Health Education Associate Professor Emerita, University of Missouri School of Nursing
Ellen Scher-Zagier, MS President, Feather-Light Living Enterprises, Wellness coaching and Acupressure workshops
Kimberly James, Certified Professional Midwife
Paula McSteen, PhD Professor
Marsha K Nelson, MS/Biology Aquatic Toxicologist, retired
Lena Ajans, BA Business Administration, Concerned citizen
Madeline Lightfoot, Citizen
60. Rachel Suzanna Robertson, RN, BSN
Robin Cosby, BS Retired, citizen
Sara Wilks, RN, BSN
Anne Gifford, RN, MBA, MM, MC, MEd, DEd
Richard Guyette, PhD Professor Emeritus Research
Bill Parks, MD Retired Emergency Physician
Maha Libdeh, BSN Community RN for the Developmentally Disabled
Greg Zguta, Citizen
Kate Grossman, MD Pulmonary and critical care medicine
Shirley Farrah, PhD, RN-BC Assistant Dean and Teaching Professor
70. Sean Goggins, PhD Professor
Deborah Coffman, RN
Win Grace, BA
Nora Dietzel, Boone County Recorder of Deeds
Sandra Briesacher, MA DVM Instructor
Hanna Klachko, MS
Victoria Day, MEd, LPC, CMA, RSME/T Trauma-informed mental health counselor and somatic movement therapist
Mary Clark, RN, MPH Grant writer
Hank Clark, Citizen
Kimetha Fairchild, MD Family Physician
80. Jennifer Cone, MA Ed Educator
Marsha Mitchell, RN
Melanie Cusick, MA, CRADC, MARS Supervisor, Substance Abuse Recovery, Compass Health
Benjamin Crenshaw, MD Family Physician
Chad McLaurin, MBA
Tammy Fleming, Citizen
Megan Horstmeier, B Psych Citizen
Zorina Pina-Hauan, MSN, FNP-BC Family Nurse Practitioner
Lori Maybrier, MSN, CNM IBCLC
Susan Schabilion, Concerned Citizen
90. Tracy Greever-Rice, PhD, MS Director, Center for Health Policy
Valerie Bader, CNM, PhD Certified Nurse Midwife
Alyce Turner, Health Educator
Sharon Feltman, MPA, LPN Retired Executive Director of Truman VA Foundation for Medical Research
Cassandra Siela, Director of International Programs, College of Engineering
Meg Gibson, Retired teacher
Patricia Blanchard, MSW, LCSW Medical Social Worker
Joan Kurtzeborn, BSN, MBA Healthcare Management
Colleen Rodgers, RN, BSN Behavioral Health
Heather Mulligan, LPN
100. Andrea Adams, RHIT Medical Coding Specialist
Mary Carroll, MS, ED Retired School Counselor
Rebecca Shaw, BS Research Specialist, State of Missouri
Kelly Irvine, PsyD Clinical and Family Psychologist
Samantha Jones, BA Citizen
Heather Morgan, MPS Chaplain
Susan Galeota, Citizen
Juny Lizardo, Mother
Regina Miller-Fierke BS Public Service Library Associate
Luis Martinez, PhD Professor
110. Michael Irvine, JD Trial Attorney specializing in Neurological Injury
Mary Rook, M.Ed Retired Public School Administrator
Melissa Bell, MA, PLPC Therapist
Ted Fisher, PhD Retired MU Professor
Anna Compton, MSN, RN
Brigid Neimeyer, MS Biology
Leslie Kersha, M.Ed School Counselor
Phillip Anderson, PhD Doctor
Angie Kent Human Resources
Deidre Anderson BSN, RN, CMSRN
120. Kim Dill Concerned Citizen
Rainee Sinroll, RN
Pamela Eime, BS Citizen
Roberta McLaren Public School Educator
Nancy Kassabaum Concerned Citizen, Parent, Grandparent
Barbara Buchanan, MEd Mental Health Advocate
Mariana Morales, PhD Biology Research Scientist
Jon Frost, BS Data Scientist
Stephen Keithahn, MD Internist and Pediatrician
Christine Doerr, MFA Veteran, Mother, Artist, Community Volunteer
130. Jamie Meadows, PhD Clinical Psychologist
Phillip Wood, PhD
Carolyn Amparan, MBA Columbia Resident
Amanda Smith, BSAS, MT(ASCAP)
Kari Chesney, DVM Veterinarian, PhD Candidate in Comparative Medicine, Democratic Candidate for MO House of Representatives District 50
Kate McKenzie CPS Teacher
Robert Morrison, CNA HHA EMT CMT Nurse, Therapist
Nancy Browning, Ed D Professor Emeritus of Cultural Diversity
Rawn Nash, BS Ed Retired Public School Teacher
Alejandra Gudino, MS MBA Citizen
140. Rhonda Oswalt Reitz, PhD Senior Psychologist
Kay Callison Mental Health Advocate and Concerned Citizen
Sara Levinson, BS Registered Nurse
Charles Catlin, MS Ed Concerned Citizen
Amber Klempke, RN, VA-BC
Kate Watson, MSFT Marriage and Family Therapist
Sara Lewis Concerned Citizen
Elizabeth Alexander, BA Writer
Sandra Loar Owner of Plant Designs Inc.
Jacque Sample, OTR/L, M Ed, DrOT Ass't Professor, CMU; Candidate for MO House District 44
150. Amanda Atkins Concerned Citizen
Joyce Frietze, LPN Retired
Sara "Sady" Strand, MAT Director of Stephens College Student Success Center
Pamela Cooper, PhD Principal, Cooper Editorial & Scientific Consulting
Julie McWhorter, MD Pediatric Anesthesiologist
Kennedi Barker BSN, RN Public Health Nurse
Kathi Bergman Boone County Citizen
Francis Schneider, BSM Day Program Manager
Mary Harrison, RN Retired
Joel Ray, PhD Clinical Child Psychologist
160. Roxanne Wilson, BSN Retired
Carol Dever, MSW
Nancy Ray Retired Boone County Deputy Clerk
Victor Myers, BS Ed, MA LIS Librarian, Retired
Margaret Tyler Concerned Citizen
Julie Muckerman, BS Research Specialist, University of Missouri
Jeanne Murphy, RN Citizen
Kevin Gamble, BA Parent, 45-year Resident of Columbia
Johannes Strobel, PhD Professor