ST. LOUIS (KMOX)-Saying too many people are still getting too close to each other, St. Louis Mayor Lyda Krewson is closing basketball, tennis, handball, raquetball, pickleball and other courts in city parks and requiring golfers to walk the Forest Park golf courses, staying six-feet apart..
Krewson tells KMOX despite the warnings about the spread of coronavirus, she is still seeing people coming into close contact with each other during recreational and athletic activities. She says the closure will be in effect until at least April 22. "Almost all of our folks are going to comply with this order not to use the courts and not to be close together," she says. "For those folks who don't, the health department will pay a visit to the location."
Krewson says police officers will also break up the games. However, she's also counting on self-policing. "I think there'll be some other neighbors and other folks who will help us to enforce that by just saying, 'Hey folks, this isn't safe. Stay six feet apart.' We're seeing that in our parks to some extent as we see people get the message more and more."
Krewson says the city has also rented 30 traffic message boards that will be installed at parks and highly traveled roads reminding people stay six feet apart.
As of midday Sunday, the city has 105 confirmed coronavirus cases with many more people quarantined and under observation. The city has recorded one coronavirus death.
