City Council ends Response and Recovery Plan to address pandemic

The Joplin City Council has chosen to end the Response and Recovery Plan developed to address the Coronavirus pandemic. The Council took the action on Nov. 15th.

The City Council had lifted all restrictions in May this year and has continued to actively monitor the case numbers, hospitalizations and vaccine availability.

“The closure of the plan was anticipated when a sufficient amount of vaccine supply was available to the community and the numbers of cases had remained level over a period of time,” said Joplin City Manager Nick Edwards. “As an organization we should be proud of the Joplin Health Department for going through two waves during this time. They adjusted in staffing and operations and worked well with other departments and the public to educate and inform every one of the different phases and steps throughout this pandemic.”

Edwards also noted that the City’s management team provided data and input about their readiness if the community would face similar situation with another pandemic.

“Based on what we know today, we feel prepared as an organization to address a pandemic as we know it today,” he said. “As a community, we learned that connectivity is an important factor for continuity in the workplace, our schools and our homes. This is not a surprise though. The City has just completed a gap analysis that showed as a community we still have work to do in this area.”

Statistical information about cases, hospitalizations, as well as deaths will continue to be posted on the City’s dashboard on its website