Chris Cox, Centralia mayor and Heather Russell, Centralia city administrator, issued this letter the morning of March 17.
To Those Who Live, Work, Play and Thrive in the City of Centralia, Missouri:
We are writing this message to provide an update on the city’s efforts related to the Coronavirus (COVID-19). There are eight
confirmed cases in the state of Missouri, with none of those cases coming from neighboring counties or cities. While we don’t know
how seriously our city will be impacted by COVID-19, we are taking steps to ensure the health, safety, and wellbeing of our residents,
along with the continuation of critical municipal services. To that end, the city leadership team has been meeting to update its
continuation of services plan in the event that Centralia and its residents are seriously impacted by COVID-19. Plans are in place to
assure that critical services will continue to be provided in the event of an outbreak in the area.
The State of Missouri has declared a State of Emergency related to the COVID-19 outbreak. The City of Centralia has developed a pandemic influenza preparedness plan for the response and prevention of transmission of COVID-19. Consistent with the recommendations by the Center for Disease Control (CDC) and State and County, the City of Centralia may cancel or reschedule public events or gatherings as a method to reduce transmission of COVID-19.
There are no reported cases of COVID-19 in the City of Centralia or Boone County at this time. Nonetheless, the City is taking steps in an effort to provide for the health and safety of our Centralia family.
The City will be regularly sharing messages from the Health Department and CDC on its website and Facebook page, and will also keep residents updated on any operational impacts.
Everyone can help prevent the spread of the illness in our community with a few simple, but effective, everyday actions:
In our Community. Wash your hands often.
Avoid touching your eyes, nose, and mouth with unwashed hands.
Cover your coughs and sneezes.
Follow guidance from the CDC, State of Missouri Health Dept, and Columbia/Boone County Health Dept.
In our Facilities
Deep clean sanitization of City facilities with a focus on areas of gathering
Providing hand sanitation stations at all City customer service areas
Identifying opportunities for staff and the public to interact other than face-to-face
City Hall lobby will be closed to the general public through March 31st . The vestibule will remain open, and envelopes
will be made available for customers to utilize the night depository box to the right of the outside door of City Hall.
We want to be your partner in reducing the risks of COVID-19. You can contact us by phone at (573) 682-2139, Monday-Friday 8 a.m. – 5
p.m., or email cityhall@centraliamo.org. For all current information from the City of Centralia, visit us on our website at
www.centraliamo.org, or find us on Facebook.