There are now industry or business type-specific guidance documents available on the stlcorona.com site. These are all up on the main page, and can be additionally found at http://stlcorona.com/news/ in case those move from the home page as more updates are added.
There are specific guidance pieces for:
- Restaurants
- Transportation
- Construction, Manufacturing and Repair
- Personal Services
- Commercial Office Buildings
- Hotels
- Business Offices
These are rather thorough for each individual business category looking for further guidance than is available in the general order.
Stay at Home Orders
Stay at Home Orders in St. Louis County remain in effect. This is despite the expiration of the State of Missouri’s Stay at Home Order and the activation of the Economic Re-opening Order today at 12:01 AM. The St. Louis County Department of Public Health (DPH) and the St. Louis County Executive’s Office believe that this is necessary based on the unique challenges St. Louis County offers. It is the largest county in the state and has by far the most positive COVID-19 cases. Dr. Sam Page, the St. Louis County Executive, is working with other elected officials in the region to systematically ease restrictions. An announcement is anticipated this week.
Small Business Relief
The St. Louis County Small Business Relief (“SBR”) Program will provide financial relief, in the form of a one-time grant of $15,000 or less, to qualifying small businesses that were closed during the Stay at Home Order. The grant can be used to pay for the costs of business interruption as a result of the business closing during the Stay at Home Order and to cover costs associated with reopening safely. A business is eligible for an SBR grant if the business (including for-profit entities, sole proprietorships, and non-profit organizations) has its principal place of business in St. Louis County, had 50 or fewer full-time employees as of March 1, 2020, and was closed during the Stay at Home Order.
The process for awarding SBR grants will incorporate community input to guide grant awards to the small businesses that need financial relief the most. SBR grants will be awarded to businesses based upon recommendations received from the Council member and, where applicable, mayor of the municipality where the business’s principal place of business is located. More information on SBR grants and the application process can be found here: http://stlcorona.com/resources/small-business-relief-program/.
There are restrictions. At this time, the SBR Program will award a maximum total of $2.5 million in grants per County Council district. Additional funding may be provided in the future. Additionally, no business may receive an SBR grant if the business has a director, officer, employee, agent, or sub-contractor that is an elected or appointed official of St. Louis County, an elected or appointed official of any municipality within St. Louis County, or is a member of the immediate family of any such elected or appointed official.
Contact Information
The Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services hotline can be reached at (877)435-8411.
St. Louis County has created a website dedicated to the dissemination of information relating to COVID-19, www.stlcorona.com. Please visit that website or those belonging to the Center for Disease Control (CDC) or the World Health Organization (WHO) for the most current and reputable information.