Name: Parson mobilizes Missouri National Guard in fight against COVID-19 spread
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Parson mobilizes Missouri National Guard in fight against COVID-19 spread

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or×On your next view you will be asked to:×Subscribe today for unlimited access×Subscribe today for unlimited access×You've run out of free articles. Subscribe for just $5 for 5 months to keep readingorYou are the owner of this article.© 2020 Lee EnterprisesParson mobilizes Missouri National Guard in fight against COVID-19 spreadShare thisJEFFERSON CITY&nbsp;— Gov. Mike Parson signed an executive order Thursday mobilizing the Missouri National Guard in the state’s fight against the new coronavirus.The executive , announced Friday, said the COVID-19 pandemic had “caused conditions of distress and hazards to public health and safety beyond the capacities of local and State agencies.”It said “additional resources of the State of Missouri are needed to prevent the risk of COVID-19 and to respond to a declared emergency and the increased health threat to the population.”At a Friday briefing on the state's response to the pandemic, Brigadier General Levon Cumpton said the national guard is prepared to support local and state authorities however it can."We are not some outside organization coming in to impose someone else's agenda on you," Cumpton said. "We are here to help you, not control you. Hell, we are you."Cumpton said there's an array of things the guard might do, including helping to&nbsp;set up and staff community-based testing sites and providing transport for people and medical equipment.“I’m sure there are needs that will come out of the pandemic that we aren’t even aware of yet," Cumpton said.Cumpton also said the national guard has taken an aggressive approach to preventing the spread of COVID-19 within its own ranks. It has been following federal guidance and screening all service members who enter the state's armories and training sites, he said.Parson’s office said he made the decision to mobilize the guard after consulting with officials in the state Department of Public Safety, Department of Health and Senior Services and the State Emergency Management Agency.&nbsp;“The COVID-19 crisis is constantly developing and changing, but we are taking steps each and every day to slow the spread and protect public health and safety,” Parson said in a statement. “Mobilizing the National Guard will help us provide more immediate resources to our citizens and enhance Missouri’s ability to overcome this global pandemic.”&nbsp;At Friday's briefing, Parson said his decision isn't about putting Missouri under martial law. It's about supporting local communities, just like during the last year's floods, he said."The guard is prepared to answer this call again and step in to help wherever they are needed during this crisis," Parson said.Parson's order expires May 15 unless he chooses to extend it.Parson also said Friday that the legislature is trying to figure out a plan to pass the state's supplemental budget around April 1. The drop-dead date to get it done would be April 24, he said.Editor’s note: a previous version of this article said Parson signed the order Friday.Updated at 3:30 p.m.Sign up now to get the most recent coronavirus headlines and other important local and national news sent to your email inbox daily.Help support our COVID-19 coverageWe're providing access to COVID-19 articles for free.Please help support our work by subscribing or signing up for an account.Already a subscriber? Log in.© Copyright 2020 , 901 N. 10th St. St. Louis, MO&nbsp;| &nbsp;|Powered by from .{{title}}{{summary}}You don't have any notifications.Get up-to-the-minute news sent straight to your device.Topics

or×On your next view you will be asked to:×Subscribe today for unlimited access×Subscribe today for unlimited access×You've run out of free articles. Subscribe for just $5 for 5 months to keep readingorYou are the owner of this article.© 2020 Lee EnterprisesParson mobilizes Missouri National Guard in fight against COVID-19 spreadShare thisJEFFERSON CITY&nbsp;— Gov. Mike Parson signed an executive order Thursday mobilizing the Missouri National Guard in the state’s fight against the new coronavirus.The executive , announced Friday, said the COVID-19 pandemic had “caused conditions of...

Parson mobilizes Missouri National Guard in fight against COVID-19 spread

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