Parson Visits MWSU (10-6-20)

At missouri western -- with a ribbon cutting for a new facility for nursing students.

It's called the center for excellence in applied healthcare learning.

Funding for the more than one million dollar facility came about through grants from the state, mosaic life care and foundations for mosaic and the univeristy.

Staff say they have now expanded their healthcare simulation labs and can now graduate 20 more students per year from their nursing program.

It was a welcome day for a university that has seen millions of dollars worth of cuts in recent months -- and timely during a time of the coronavirus pandemic.

(sot " this is the other side of the mountain.

This is a very good celebration.

We were watching simulations where students were learning how to provide covid 19 nursing care.) with the additions, missouri western will be able to graduate about 140 students each year from their nursing program.

Among the dignitaries at today's event were governor mike parson and first lady teresa parson.

The two were making their first public appearances since coming out of isolation for testing positive for covid 19 about two weeks ago.

The governor said they are both feeling fine.

Parson continued to stress social distancing and mask wearing -- though he said his experience with covid 19 hasn't changed his mind about issuing a statewide mandatory mask mandate and said it won't slow him down from doing his job as governor.

(sot gov mike parson: you know when you're the governor of the state of missouri, your risk is higher, simply because of the job you have.

I wish it was as simple as just going home and locking the door and saying i'm not going to work.

It's a reality as governor you can't do that and you have to cross the state and you have to know the risks.") the governor did not have a response for president trump's own covid diagnosis and his tweeting that the coronavirus is nothing