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