Capacity has reached 90% in St. Louis hospitals.
As the COVID-19 pandemic continues — and holidays are around the corner — healthcare experts are urging the public to limit gatherings.
The St. Louis Joint Board of Health and Hospitals held a virtual meeting to vote on guidelines to help mitigate the spread of the novel virus, pointing to private gatherings as a significant spreader, more so than school and businesses.
Many businesses are open at 50% capacity, and officials don’t recommend restricting that further, Fox 2 reported Thursday morning (November 12).
Several students from De Smet Jesuit High School, for example, tested positive for COVID-19 after attending a Halloween party of more than 200 people.
Dr. Fred Echols pointed to the south and midtown line as hotspots in the city, but COVID-19 can still spread to other regions.
Elected officials want healthcare experts’ recommendations when considering additional restrictions, according to Fox 2. The board is in favor of capping gatherings at 10 people, including in public and in private.
"The pandemic is not political," St. Louis County Executive Dr. Sam Page previously said during a COVID-19 update, urging the public to continue taking precautions. "This disease knows no party, no race or no religion."
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