In response to the COVID-19 global pandemic, “social distancing” measures are being taken nationwide to slow the spread of the coronavirus.
The Centers for Disease Control has recommended gatherings of 10 people or less to help slow the spread of the virus, and St. Louis County Executive Sam Page and St. Louis City Mayor Lyda Krewson have ordered limits to gatherings in the city and the county to 10 people or less. As a result, many schools, attractions and events around the St. Louis region have been canceled or postponed in an effort to slow the spread.
This list is not complete and may be subject to change as the situation changes. Visit www.callnewspapers.com to stay up-to-date on the most recent information regarding closures, postponements and cancellations due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Schools
School districts in the St. Louis region announced last week that they would be closed through Friday, April 3 with a tentative start date of Monday, April 6.
School activities, including sports, extracurricular practices and competitions, are also canceled while schools remain closed.
Districts closed include the Mehlville School District, Lindbergh Schools, Affton School District, Bayless School District and Hancock Place School District. The Hancock Health Clinic is currently not accepting walk-in appointments.
The Fox School District, which serves Arnold and portions of unincorporated Jefferson County, will be closed effective Wednesday, March 18 with a tentative start date of Monday, April 13.
Mehlville will offer grab-and-go meals for students 18 and younger who live in the district Monday, March 23 through Friday, April 3 at Mehlville High School, 3200 Lemay Ferry Road, from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. More information, as well as additional pickup locations, can be found here.
Grab and go meals from Hancock Place will be available for anyone 18 or younger, even if they do not attend a Hancock Place school, from Monday, March 23 to Friday, April 3. A sign-up form for the grab-and-go meals, a list of pickup locations and further information can be found here. Meals can be picked up from 11 a.m. to noon.
Bayless will offer to-go meals for Bayless students Monday, March 23 through Friday, April 3 at Bayless Elementary, 4529 Weber Road, from 11 a.m to 12:15 p.m. A sign-up form for to-go meals with more information can be found here.
Affton will provide to-go meals and delivery meals for all students beginning Monday, March 23 through Friday, April 3. Families can sign up here or by calling Affton’s COVID-19 Helpline at 314-633-5911 to make arrangements. To-go meals can be picked up at the Affton High School cafeteria, 8309 Mackenzie Road, from 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.
Lindbergh Schools will provide to-go meals for students who receive free and reduced lunch Monday, March 23 through Friday, April 3. Meals will be available for pickup at the Lindbergh High School commons, 5000 S. Lindbergh Blvd. More information and a meal request form can be found here.
Voluntary Interdistrict Choice Cooperation, or VICC, students may access grab-and-go meals through St. Louis Public Schools. More information can be found here.
Community colleges and universities
St. Louis Community College has extended spring break until March 30. Online instruction for the remainder of the semester will begin March 30. Commencement has also been postponed for a later date that has yet to be determined.
St. Louis University will be doing remote learning through the end of the semester. No decisions have been made yet regarding the commencement ceremony currently scheduled for May 16.
Washington University in St. Louis will be doing remote learning through the end of the semester. Commencement, scheduled for May 15, has been canceled.
The University of Missouri – St. Louis will do remote learning through the end of the semester. There has been no decision to cancel, postpone or modify commencement plans at this time. Commencement is scheduled for May 15 through May 17.
Libraries
All St. Louis County Library branch locations are closed through Friday, April 3.
St. Louis Public Libraries are also closed until further notice.
City Halls
Sunset Hills City Hall remains open to the public during regular hours, 7 a.m. to 5 p.m., but that is subject to change. All upcoming meetings and court dates have been canceled for the next 30 days. At that time, city officials will reassess the situation.
Crestwood City Hall remains open to the public during regular hours, 8 a.m. to 4: 30 p.m., but steps are being taken to separate employees and the public. The municipal court is closed until further notice and any board or committee meetings are being determined on a case by case basis.
Green Park City Hall is still operating normally and is open to the public. The March 16 Board of Aldermen meeting was postponed and has not been rescheduled at this time as the city determines options to hold electronic meetings.
Fenton City Hall will be closed to the public effective Friday, March 20.
Arnold City Hall remains open to the public during regular hours, 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. Municipal court, scheduled for Monday, March 23, has been canceled.
Community centers and gyms
The Crestwood Community Center will be closed effective Friday, March 20.
The Sunset Hills Community Center is closed until further notice.
The Fenton Community Center and Cultural Center is closed until Saturday, March 28.
The Arnold Recreation Center is closed until further notice. All activities with the center have also been canceled.
Gateway Region YMCA has closed all its St. Louis region branch locations with a tentative reopening date of Monday, March 30.
Attractions
The Gateway Arch and Old Courthouse are closed until further notice. Arch grounds remain open to the public.
The St. Louis Art Museum is closed for at least four weeks as of Monday, March 16.
The St. Louis Science Center is closed until further notice.
The Missouri History Museum, Soldier’s Memorial Military Museum and museum’s Library and Research Center are closed until Saturday, May 9.
The National Museum of Transportation is closed until further notice and is offering half-price tickets for later dates.
The Magic House is closed until Monday, March 30.
The City Museum is closed through Tuesday, March 31.
The Missouri Botanical Garden, Sophia M. Sachs Butterfly House and Shaw Nature Reserve are closed until Friday, April 3. All events and programs, including the Orchid Shower, are suspended through Friday, May 1.
Six Flags St. Louis is closed through the end of March.
The St. Louis Aquarium is closed until Tuesday, March 31.
Riverboats at the Gateway Arch have temporarily suspended operations.
The St. Louis Zoo is closed until further notice. All public and private events, and educational programs have been suspended through Friday, April 3.
The West County Center, The South County Center and St. Louis Galleria are closed until further notice.
Most shows at Chaifetz Arena have been postponed. Events after Thursday, April 30, are expected to proceed as scheduled.
Shows at the Enterprise Center have been postponed through Saturday, April 4.
Shows at the Fox Theatre have been postponed through Thursday, April 30. The venue is working on rescheduling events.
The Pageant and Delmar Hall’s box office hours of operation have temporarily been reduced to 10 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Monday through Friday. Ticketholders can view rescheduled dates and find more information about shows here.
The Repertory Theatre of St. Louis has canceled its shows through the end of the season.
Check LiveNation for the status of events scheduled for the Hollywood Casino Amphitheater. Brooks and Dunn, originally scheduled to play at the amphitheater Friday, May 15, has been rescheduled to Saturday, Oct. 3.
Events at the Stifel Theatre are postponed and the box office is closed. Shows will be rescheduled for later dates.
Mass
The Archdiocese of St. Louis has mandated the suspension of all public masses as of Monday, March 16. Pending updates from local government and health officials, the preliminary plan is to resume mass beginning Monday, April 6.
The Cathedral Basilica will remain open to individuals for personal prayer and devotions from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Confessions will take place Monday through Friday from noon to 1 p.m., Saturday from 3:30 to 5 p.m. and Sunday from 9 a.m. to noon. Organized tours will not be available.
State parks
Missouri State Parks are still open; however, visitors’ centers, park offices and site office are closed to foot traffic through Thursday, April 30. Parks remain open to the public including all day-use areas, lodging, campgrounds, boat ramps and trails.
All Illinois state parks are closed to the public.
Courts
All jury trials for the St. Louis Circuit Court and St. Louis County Circuit Court have been canceled through Friday, April 10.
Jurors will not be needed for the weeks of March 16 and March 23 in St. Louis County Court. Municipal court proceedings have been suspended. Weddings, courthouse tours, meetings with outside groups, after-hour classes and community events have been postponed. Criminal cases where the defendant is not in custody will be postponed and rescheduled. Criminal cases where the defendant is in custody, and hearing involving probation revocation, will be conducted by videoconference. The public resource center and law library are closed.
Grocery stores
Most grocery stores remain open, some with limited hours and special hours for older adults and those most at-risk from developing complications from COVID-19.
Schnucks: Stores open daily from 6 a.m. to 10 p.m. The first hour, 6 to 7 a.m., is reserved for adults 60 and older and others most at-risk.
Schnucks in-store retail pharmacies: Beginning Monday, March 23, in-store retail pharmacies will be open from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. Mondays and Thursdays so that older adults and those with underlying health conditions can visit the pharmacy during the designated first hour for seniors and those at-risk. These pharmacies will observe regular hours all other days.
Walgreens: Most stores will be open from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. on weekdays. Stores that are 24-hours will be drive-thru only overnight from 9 p.m. to 9 a.m.
Aldi: Stores will be open from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. Some stores may have limited hours to accommodate restocking and cleaning.
Dierbergs: Stores open daily from 8 a.m. to 10 p.m. The first hour, 8 to 9 a.m., is reserved for adults 60 and older and individuals who have compromised immune systems.
Trader Joe’s: Stores will be open from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m.
Fresh Thyme: Stores will be open from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. Beginning Monday, March 23, Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays will be reserved for senior and high-risk shoppers from 6 to 8 a.m.; Tuesdays and Thursdays will be reserved for essential healthcare workers, first responders and law enforcement from 6 to 8 a.m.
Whole Foods: Stores will be open from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. Adults 60 and older and other vulnerable populations can begin shopping at 8 a.m.
Target: All stores will close by 9 p.m. daily. The first hour of each Wednesday is reserved for vulnerable guests, including the elderly and those with underlying health conditions.
Walmart: Stores will be open from 7 a.m. to 8:30 p.m. Stores that open later than 7 a.m. will continue with their regular hours. Beginning Tuesday, March 24 and lasting until Tuesday, April 28, Walmart will host an hour-long shopping event every Tuesday for customers 60 and older.
Dollar General: Stores have dedicated the first hour of opening for adults 60 and older. Stores will also close an hour early.
Restaurants
Page and Krewson announced that all restaurants and bars in the city and county will only be able to serve customers through curbside pickup, walk-up service or drive-thru beginning Friday, March 20 at 12:01 a.m. A list of restaurants offering different delivery and takeaway options, compiled by “Guided: St. Louis”, can be found here.
In Illinois, Gov. J.B. Pritzker ordered bars and restaurants in Illinois to close their doors to dine-in customers from end of business Monday, March 16 through Monday, March 30.
Additional information
On Friday, Missouri Gov. Mike Parson, announced that he will be issuing an executive order that bans gatherings in the state larger than 10 people. The executive order will not apply to church services or government functions. Further details are expected to be released Saturday.
In Illinois, Pritzker announced that a “stay-at-home” order would go into effect beginning Saturday through Tuesday, April 7. More information, such as what will be considered an essential business and a full text of the executive order, can be found here.
On Saturday, March 21, Page and Krewson both issued “stay-at-home” orders for both St. Louis County and St. Louis City, beginning at 12:01 a.m. Monday, March 23 in the county and beginning at 6 p.m. Monday in the city. The order prohibits people from leaving their homes unless going to work at an essential business, getting groceries and others necessities or taking a walk. More information on the stay-at-home order for the county can be found here; information for the city’s order can be found here.
