April 16, 2020 |
Governor Mark Gordon yesterday stopped short of saying when he will lift the public health orders that have put a freeze on public life and business in Wyoming for the last four weeks.
The governor hinted that the rules might be relaxed as early as next month, at least in some parts of the state, but said Wyoming’s economy has changed. The return to normalcy, Gordon said, will be a long and slow process.
The governor’s remarks came several hours after the Wyoming Department of Health confirmed the second COVID-19 related death in the state. The victim was identified only as an older Laramie County man who had been hospitalized.
So far the state has confirmed 288 positive laboratory tests, as well as another 105 probable cases. The governor said the total number of virus patients in Wyoming might peak in a couple of weeks away, perhaps in early May.
State Health officer Alexia Harrist refused to put any date on when the worst might come. Harrist said computer models that focus on the spread of the virus in Wyoming vary widely, making them unreliable in predicting the future.
Only 19 of the nearly 400 confirmed and probable cases of infection in Wyoming have required hospitalization. Harrist did not have any numbers on ICU admissions. Over burdening hospitals was an early motivation for the public health orders that have severely impacted the state’s economy.
Harrist said the second reported death is a reminder that social distancing guidelines should be followed.
Governor Gordon said even after the health orders are lifted, Wyoming residents will face a new reality and a changed economy that will still require adjustments.
What schools will look like, how courtrooms will operate, even getting a haircut many all be different with the knowledge that COVID-19 could still pose a danger.
The governor said he has been consulting with health and industry officials to develop guidelines that would allow businesses to open in a way that keeps the public safe. He gave no hints on when that will happen.
Click here to view a replay of Governor Mark Gordon’s April 15th press conference
Pictured above: Governor Mark Gordon during the Wyoming PBS Facebook broadcast of an April 15th press conference.
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