Governor issues plea: Stay home

Posted 3/26/20

Gov. Mark Gordon and other state officials issued a public plea on Wednesday, urging Wyomingites to stay home as part of efforts to stop the spread of COVID-19.

“I am here today to urge …

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Governor issues plea: Stay home

Posted

Gov. Mark Gordon and other state officials issued a public plea on Wednesday, urging Wyomingites to stay home as part of efforts to stop the spread of COVID-19.

“I am here today to urge Wyoming citizens to stay home whenever possible, only going out when absolutely necessary,” Gordon said. “It is imperative to flatten the curve by staying home.”

There are concerns that if the new coronavirus spreads too widely and too quickly, healthcare facilities will be overwhelmed with patients. While COVID-19 produces mild symptoms in most people, it can require hospitalization in perhaps one out of five cases, health officials have said. It can be fatal in rare cases, posing a particular risk to the elderly and those with chronic conditions.

As of Wednesday afternoon, there had been no deaths among the 44 confirmed cases of the disease in Wyoming.

State and Park County officials have already limited gatherings to no more than nine people and ordered the closure of public spaces and some businesses. However, “your voluntary actions and discipline are going to make the difference as to whether we can slow the spread of COVID-19,” Gordon told state residents on Wednesday. “You can make a difference in Wyoming for you, your family and your neighbors.”

Also on Wednesday, a statewide public health order directed hair and nail salons, barber shops, massage parlors, tattoo and piercing shops, as well as cosmetology and similar services to close to the public. They joined theaters, pools, bars, dine-in restaurants, gyms, most day cares and other public spaces in being ordered to close through April 3.

Gordon said Tuesday that he understands the impact and sympathizes with those affected by the measure, but said it was a matter of saving lives.

Wednesday’s order is more restrictive than the one issued in Park County last week. However, many local barber shops and salons shut down voluntarily last week, at the urging of the Park County health officer, Dr. Aaron Billin.

Billin had said over the weekend that he was encouraged by the number of residents and businesses going “above and beyond” in their efforts to slow the spread COVID-19.

A worker at Cody Regional Health tested positive for the disease on March 17 and she has stayed at home in quarantine since then. As of Wednesday afternoon, that remained the county’s only confirmed case among some 68 local samples that have been analyzed at the Wyoming Public Health Lab; another 20 samples from Park County were awaiting results. More than 750 samples had been tested across the state by Wednesday.

Billin has stressed that health officials believe there are other cases of COVID-19 in the area and “we just haven’t diagnosed them yet.”

“We wish testing was not as limited as it is,” he said Tuesday. The state says additional sample collection kits will be distributed to counties later this week, increasing testing capabilities.

In the meantime, Billin has continued to implore people to take the disease seriously — and he indicated that the virus will impact daily life beyond April 3.

“Keep up the social distance,” Billin said Tuesday night. “This is not going to be over in two weeks.”

The most common symptoms of the disease are cough, fever and body aches, which — in the absence of testing — makes it difficult to distinguish from colds, the flu and other ailments. Evidence also indicates that people can spread COVID-19 without exhibiting any symptoms.

State Health Officer Dr. Alexia Harrist said those ill with the disease can “easily” spread it to others through coughs and sneezes.

“Staying away from others as much as possible helps protect all of us, including those who are most vulnerable to illness complications,” she said Tuesday.

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