ST. CHARLES COUNTY, MO – St. Charles County Executive Steve Ehlmann today issued new guidance on all St. Charles County residents, requiring them to remain within their residence or on the property surrounding their residence, except to engage in activities they deem necessary to their physical, mental or spiritual well-being, or for employment. Additionally, local retail stores and all other places of public accommodation must communicate social distancing requirements to customers. The restrictions are effective at 12:01 a.m., March 24, as a measure to help reduce the spread of COVID-19.

“The restrictions do not specify which businesses are essential,” says Ehlmann. “Businesses and residents, not County Government, should determine what is essential. There is no way government can be aware of the unique needs of every individual.

“As this pandemic worsens,” he says, “it is essential that government not get in the way of the essential supply chain that will deliver services and products to fight this pandemic, or in the way of individuals who have medical and other needs.” Ehlmann continued, “Businesses know that for the long-term good, we need to ‘flatten the curve’ and they will determine on their own that they need to close – either because people don’t see them as essential, or for the protection of their employees and customers.”

Ehlmann says, however, that stronger restrictions or mandates may be necessary in the future as COVID-19 continues to spread. “We need to maintain the confidence of our residents as, if this pandemic continues to worsen, County Government will be forced to take even stronger, more intrusive measures to protect people from contagion. We need to keep everyone’s trust in this crucial time.”

The restriction includes all incorporated and unincorporated areas of St. Charles County. Ehlmann stresses that social distancing is crucial. “The county has three positive cases just today that are community-acquired, meaning they are not related to travel,” he says. “We are getting reports that some businesses are doing a great job and others are not. All businesses need to enforce the 6-foot rule.”

Ehlmann said residents who have questions about what services are essential are encouraged to visit the numerous websites available suggesting how that decision could be made. For information and questions about COVID-19 please visit sccmo.org/COVID, or call the St. Charles County Department of Public Health Information Hotline at 636-949-1899, 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. daily.

UPDATE: Governor Parson Directs DHSS Director to Require Social Distancing Statewide (JEFFERSON CITY, MO) – Building on Missouri’s efforts to address COVID-19, Governor Mike Parson has directed Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services (DHSS) Director Dr. Randall Williams to order statewide social distancing.

The Order includes new measures to protect the health and safety of Missouri citizens and frontline workers. “As the COVID-19 crisis continues to develop, this is a critical step in protecting the health and safety of Missourians,” Governor Parson said. “I cannot emphasize enough how important it is for all citizens to practice social distancing and abide by this order, which is backed by intense deliberation and knowledge.” The Director of the Department of Health and Senior Services, finding it necessary to protect public health and prevent the further spread of COVID-19, pursuant to the authority granted under section 192.020, RSMo, hereby orders the following:

1. In accordance with the guidelines from the President and the Centers of Disease Control and Prevention, every person in the State of Missouri shall avoid social gatherings of more than ten (10) people. For purposes of this Order, “social gatherings” shall mean any planned or spontaneous event or convening that would bring together more than ten (10) people in a single space at the same time.
2. In accordance with the guidelines from the President and the Centers of Disease Control and Prevention, every person in the State of Missouri shall avoid eating or drinking at restaurants, bars, or food courts; provided, however, that the use of drive-thru, pickup, or delivery options is allowed throughout the duration of this Order.
3. In accordance with the guidelines from the President and the Centers of Disease Control and Prevention, people shall not visit nursing homes, long-term care facilities, retirement homes, or assisted living homes unless to provide critical assistance.
4. In accordance with the guidelines from the President and the Centers of Disease Control and Prevention, schools shall remain closed. This Order does not prohibit schools from providing child care and Food and Nutritional Services for those children that qualify. Teachers and staff may enter the building as long as they follow the directives set forth in this Order.

This Order does not prohibit people from visiting a variety of places, including grocery stores, gas stations, parks, and banks, so long as necessary precautions are taken and maintained to reduce the transmission of COVID-19, including maintaining at least six feet (6’) of distance between all individuals that are not family members.

For offices and workplaces that remain open, individuals shall practice good hygiene and, where feasible, work from home in order to achieve optimum isolation from COVID-19. The more that people reduce their public contact, the sooner COVID-19 will be contained and the sooner this Order will expire.

Local public health authorities are hereby directed to carry out and enforce the provisions of this Order by means of civil proceedings.

The Order will take effect beginning 12:01 A.M. Monday, March 23, 2020 and remain in effect until 12:01 A.M. Monday, April 6, 2020 unless extended by further order of the Director of the Department of Health and Senior Services with said extensions not to exceed the duration of the effective period of Executive Order 20-02.

“This is a serious time for our state and nation, and we must continue taking all steps necessary to stop the spread of COVID-19,” Governor Parson said. “The more people reduce their public contact, the sooner the virus will be contained and the sooner we can overcome this challenge.”

Dear Faculty and Staff:

The St. Charles County Health Department has provided new clarification on travel - requiring that individuals traveling from any area with community transmission of COVID-19 quarantine themselves for 14 days. You can check the CDC website for an updated list; however, here are the current states: Arkansas, California, Colorado, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Iowa, Louisiana, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, Nebraska, Nevada, New Hampshire, New York, New Jersey, Oregon, South Carolina, Tennessee, Virginia, Washington, and Wyoming. Other countries, such as Mexico and several in Europe are also included.

Any faculty or staff who traveled to these areas must abide by the quarantine.

And of course, let your supervisor know, report your travel to the County Health Department, and please do not come on campus.

Take care everyone and please have a safe and peaceful weekend.

Best wishes,

Barbara

Dear Students,

These are challenging times we are going through, but I would like to commend our faculty, staff and students for rising to this challenge and showing ingenuity, determination and grace.

The safety and wellbeing of our campus community is paramount. Following many discussions and considering the many implications, leadership, with the support of the Board of Trustees, has made the following decisions:

• Beginning March 23, all remaining instruction for the Spring 2020 Semester will be taught online or will use alternative delivery methods. Students, please continue to reach out to your professors if you have any questions or concerns.
• We will continue to honor the Spring 2020 academic calendar, with only one exception – commencement. The SCC spring Commencement is currently postponed, and the College is considering alternatives for graduation and pinnings.
• Services for students will continue to be offered remotely.
• All remaining spring 2020 events are canceled.
• Effective March 23, 2020, all SCC locations will restrict on-campus access to the public until further notice. All instruction and support services will be delivered online. Please note, the college is open, but functioning fully online.
• To keep you and the public informed, FAQs are being regularly updated on the Health Alerts web page.

These decisions were not made lightly, and were made with the input of health agencies, local governments, the Board of Trustees and our faculty, staff and administrators. The SCC Pandemic Response Committee will continue its work to see us safely through this time.

We are grateful for the encouraging responses to the decisions and communications made to date, and we appreciate your continued good will, humor and sound judgement. The College is committed to keeping the lines of communication open and strong.

Please be safe, Cougars, and continue to work hard in your courses. We are all in this together.

Dr. Barbara R. Kavalier, President
St. Charles Community College

Dear SCC Students,

In light of the most recent recommendations from the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) to limit group sizes, it is likely that the remainder of the spring term will be conducted online. Rest assured the College is committed to providing the academics and services needed for you to complete the semester.

Please watch your SCC email and Canvas notifications from your professors often. If you have technology concerns, please inform each of your professors. We will work together to find solutions. Our goal is to minimize any disruption in your learning.

For those students with hands-on classes and labs, your professor/s will provide you with instructions in the coming days.

We understand these are trying times. St. Charles Community College faculty, staff and administration members are here to help in any way we can. We appreciate your patience, understanding and dedication.

For general information and FAQs, as well as links to local, state and federal agencies, visit the SCC Coronavirus Information Page at www.stchas.edu/healthalerts which will be updated frequently.

Greetings SCC Students,

I hope this message finds you well before we head into our Spring Break. As you know, COVID-19, or coronavirus, is affecting a variety of sectors and causing a ripple effect across the globe with the number of confirmed cases increasing daily. Although we hope there will be no cases of the virus at SCC and are no confirmed cases of the virus in St. Charles County, it is always a good idea to prepare should the virus impact our campus in the future. Your success and safety are our top priorities, and we assure you that the steps we are taking will not affect your graduation or successful transfer.

SCC Response

Our SCC team is coordinating the institution’s response and contingency planning, which includes addressing immediate issues related to international travel as well as planning for operational disruptions, should they occur. Members of this team also are coordinating plans with county partners, should our area be affected. 

Face-to-Face Services, Instruction Temporarily Suspended

With Spring Break taking place next week, most students and faculty members aren’t on campus. To help prepare for a possible future closure related to the coronavirus, we will restrict access to the main campus March 16-19 during the Spring Break. This proactive approach allows us to test our emergency preparedness on multiple levels and be prepared for any future situations.

For the week of March 23-28, all face-to-face instruction and services at both SCC campuses are temporarily suspended and will be provided online. You will work through the Canvas learning management system during that time. If you need technology assistance (equipment or access to the internet), please reach out to your professor. 

While leadership will continue to assess the situation, we are planning for face-to-face classes and services to resume on Monday, March 30, on both SCC campuses.

Of special note, the application deadline for entrance into SCC ADN and practical nursing programs originally set for March 19 has now been extended to April 3.

Travel

We recognize that for many students, spring break is a time for travel. Many colleges and universities across the country are encouraging students to be very cautious and to use their best judgement in determining whether to pursue domestic travel. According to information from the Center for Disease Control (CDC), “. . .cases of COVID-19 have been reported in many states, and some areas are experiencing community spread of the disease. Crowded travel settings, like airports, may increase your risk of exposure to COVID-19, if there are other travelers with COVID-19.”  For additional information about travel, please check out the CDC website:

https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/travelers/travel-in-the-us.html

In conclusion, spring is here, SCC Cougars. Remember to rest and relax as you prepare to finish your semester strong.

Sincerely, 

Dr. Barbara R. Kavalier, President