Gov. Parson to allow COVID-19 state of emergency to expire [View all]

JEFFERSON CITY — Missouri's State of Emergency will expire on December 31, Governor Mike Parson's office announced on Thursday.

Citing "the effectiveness of the vaccine, widespread efforts to mitigate the virus, and our committed health care professionals," the governor said in a statement, "past needs to continue the state of emergency are no longer present."

The state of emergency had been extended five previous times. The governor's press release notes "only three of Missouri's border states and 20 other states in the nation have" similar states of emergency.

The expiration comes on the heels of the Omicron variant and as new COVID cases and hospitalizations are on the rise in Missouri. Hospitalizations across the state have nearly doubled in the last month, to more than 2,250 inpatients with COVID-19.

https://krcgtv.com/news/local/gov-parson-to-allow-covid-19-state-of-emergency-to-expire