Springfield Business Journal_2020-04-06

FEATURING BRIAN FOGLE COVID-19 Coverage: CFO Creates Nonprofit Grant Program FEATURING KATHERINE TROMBETTA COVID-19 Coverage: Job Hunting While Social Distancing FEATURING AMY GREENE COVID-19 Coverage: Learning to Teach Your Kids 20 · SBJ.NET APRIL 6-12, 2020 MSU buildings considered for alternative care sites by Geoff Pickle · gpickle@sbj.net Gov. Mike Parson on March 31 an- nounced that two buildings at Missouri State University are being assessed as po- tential alternative care sites. Hammons Student Center and JQH Are- na are among sites that may be used to care for COVID-19 patients, should hospitals be overrun by cases of the virus, according to a news release. The Missouri National Guard is working with the Missouri Hospital Association and other organizations to find potential sites after Parson on March 27 signed an execu- tive order enabling the Guard to respond to the coronavirus pandemic. “The COVID-19 crisis is constantly de- veloping and changing, but we are tak- ing steps each and every day to slow the spread and protect public health and safety,” Parson said in a news release the day he signed the order. “Mobilizing the National Guard will help us provide more immediate resources to our citizens and enhance Missouri’s ability to overcome this global pandemic.” Other sites under consideration include the Missouri Southern State University Leggett & Platt Athletic Center in Joplin and Hearnes Arena in Columbia, according to yesterday’s release. At least one other Springfield site is being prepared for potential COVID-19 use. Springfield Public Schools spokesman Stephen Hall said the former Doling school building at 1432 W. Atlantic St. is being prepped after a request from the Greene County Office of Emergency Management. “We have cleaned the property and made it available to them for use, as needed,” Hall said. Features Editor Christine Temple contributed. NEWS BRIEFS SBJ FILE JQH Arena may be used as an alternative care center for COVID-19. Two more die as Goddard makes stay-at-home plea by Geoff Pickle · gpickle@sbj.net Springfield-Greene County Health De- partment Director Clay Goddard implored residents to follow the stay-at-home or- der after announcing two more COVID-19 deaths. Speaking during a livestreamed news conference on March 31, Goddard said two men – one in his 90s and another in his 80s – have now brought the local death toll to six. “This update shows the danger to our community, especially to those most at risk,” Goddard said. “These folks are de- pending on the rest of us to do our part.” The man in his 90s was a positive corona- virus case from the Morningside of Spring- field East assisted living center. Goddard said nine cases have been reported from the center, including a staff member. The second death, announced March 31, was a man who was immunocompromised and had been in contact with an international traveler. Goddard said more than 50 cases of the coronavirus have now been recorded in Greene County. Of those, eight people have recovered. He added 300 people are cur- rently under quarantine by the Health De- partment. During the news conference, Goddard echoed calls for residents to stay home as much as possible, per the city-county order announced last week. “The virus is fueled by people being physically close to one another,” he said. “It relies on sick people intermingling with healthy people. If we can stop as much as possible that intermingling, except for those that are essential to keep this city up and running, then that virus runs out of fuel.” Goddard also introduced Dynamic DNA Laboratories LLC founder and CEO Austin O’Reilly, who spoke about a testing part- nership announced a day earlier. Dynamic DNA has signed on to immediately conduct 4,000 tests, with another 4,000 testing kits on order. “This is right in our wheelhouse to help,” O’Reilly said at the news confer- ence. “We’ll be able to offer results in as little as one day.