Published in the High Desert Advocate April 23, 2020.
April 21, 2020, Governor Sisolak spoke on the “reopening framework” for Nevada. Not there yet…and lay down the possible stages(credit press conference)
Governor Sisolak spoke on the “reopening framework” for Nevada on Tuesday (April 21, 2020).
When asked when will the state will reopen, and when certain businesses will reopen? Sisolak said the state is not ready yet. When that phase I can finally be rolled out, that will depend on were the virus is at(down/up), expert at the state level(recommend), and how Nevadans are obeying social distancing rules
Announced with the plan was the decision to keep Nevada schools closed through the rest of the year, and extend distance learning (through the duration of the school year).
Sisolak was joined by a panel of health experts who noted the extensive measures taken by the state to reduce the spread of COVID-19, including social distancing and wearing face coverings, has resulted in a flattened curve, or slower spread, of the disease. It has reach a plateau, but it is not on the decline.
President Trump and his Covid-19 task force has released a 3 Stage Guide for States to reopen. But Sislolak has presented his own version to reopen his state(Nevada).
• Vulnerable population should remain home
• Maintain Governor’s travel advisory
• No groups of 10 or more, with social distancing
• Face masks in public
• In-person visits for senior nursing homes prohibited
• Bar will remain closed
• Gyms, elective surgeries, movie theatres, places of worship still under review
“We are in a better spot than we were six weeks ago,” Sisolak said.
In his announcement Tuesday, Sisolak noted that saving lives and reopening the economy were not mutually exclusive. “Phase I will depend. It is important that we save as many lives as possible, and also protect the businesses” Economic recovery was “highly dependent on expanded testing and tracing capacity,” he said.
Sisolak said he was proud of hotel-casino properties taking proactive steps on how they would protect their staff and guests.
On Sunday(April 19, 2020), Wynn Resorts CEO Matt Maddox released a comprehensive 23 page plan detailing the steps he would take at Wynn Las Vegas and Encore.
Sisolak said they’ve seen less deaths compared to the early modeling for Nevada, and continuing to flatten the curve was priority.
“The emergency is not over yet, but it has entered a new phase,” he said.
In the coming weeks, Sisolak said he will solidify plans for phase one of reopening the economy in Nevada. “Once the curve is flattened, our goal is to keep it that way,” he said.
“Think of this as phase zero,” he said. Criteria for reopening included statistical measuring of COVID-19 in the state’s healthcare system and measuring the healthcare systems’ capacity.
“As of right now, I cannot give you a firm date of when we would begin phase one,” Sisolak said. He said he would communicate updates with the public in a timely manner to prepare business re-openings.
“I’m working to update my previous directives” to meet the needs of the criteria to move into phase one, Sisolak said.
To determine whether Nevada is ready to move into the first phase of reopening, Sisolak and select Nevada experts will look at:
• A consistent and sustainable downward trajectory of COVID-19 cases and hospitalizations over a 14-day period measured by a decrease in the trend of COVID-19 hospitalizations; and a decline in percentage of people testing positive
• Healthcare and Public Health Systems should be able to maintain hospital capacity without crisis standards of care, have a sufficient public health workforce capacity between the local and state health departments to conduct case contact tracing (detect, test, trace, isolate), have the expanded ability for healthcare providers to administer tests for symptomatic patients, and have sufficient laboratory testing capacity to process COVID-19 testing samples
• A sustained ability to protect vulnerable populations, meaning that outbreaks are successfully contained and closed in special settings like health facilities and nursing homes
• Confirm protective measures are in place before moving to the first phase
The reopening of the Casinos will be slow (with maybe face masks, Thermo Cameras and social distancing). When Casinos do reopen, guidelines will be put in place by the Gambling Control Board.
