Gov. Pete Ricketts is asking Nebraskans to “redouble” their efforts to stop the unfold of coronavirus after hospitalizations for COVID-19 have almost quadrupled within the final six weeks.
Throughout a press convention Monday, Ricketts introduced adjustments to the directed well being measures, which take impact Wednesday. Adjustments embrace indoor gatherings restricted to 25% of rated occupancy; masks are required for employees and patrons at salons, barbershops, therapeutic massage remedy, bowling alleys, pool halls; eating places and bars stay open for dine in, however tables have to be 6 ft aside and patrons should stay seated except putting an order, going to the restroom or enjoying video games; and fan attendance for all indoor youth extracurricular actions is proscribed to family members of individuals solely.
Ricketts mentioned he’s “very involved” about hospital capability, which stays at 31% for hospital beds, 31% for ICU beds and 71% for ventilators.
“However once more, we wish to ensure we’re slowing the unfold of the virus as a result of we have seen these improve in instances,” he mentioned. “That is severe.”
On Sept. 23, there have been about 200 folks hospitalized on account of COVID-19. As of Monday, there have been 794.
Ricketts mentioned native public well being departments have reported most of the elevated instances are on account of casual gatherings.
Kurth Brashear, vp for institutional development at Concordia College in Seward and a coronavirus survivor, shared his story.
Brashear mentioned he and his household “typically” had been following the state’s tips for the pandemic. They wore masks in public, each he and his spouse wore masks at work and their youngsters wore masks at college.
“We have actually restricted our nose to nose interactions with others,” he mentioned.
However in September, they’d associates over to their home.
“We let our guard down somewhat bit,” Brashear mentioned. “These have been a couple of households with children who go to high school with our children, so they have been masked on a regular basis. At the moment, instances in Seward weren’t very excessive and far of what we have been going to be doing was exterior.”
On Sept. 24, Brashear and his household have been notified that two folks on the gathering examined constructive for COVID-19. He and his household instantly quarantined, and Brashear started having signs that very same day.
Six days later, Brashear awoke with a fever. He had chills and hassle respiratory. He examined constructive and went into isolation. His household examined unfavourable.
“There isn’t any rhyme or motive to COVID, for my part, so I might encourage us to take it severely,” he mentioned. “Do not let our guard down.”
Define of adjustments to directed well being measure
Take impact Wednesday
Six ft separation rule and masking
• Six ft of separation between events is required in all cases; contains, gyms/gitness facilities, well being spas, eating places, bars, gents and bottle golf equipment, weddings, funerals, indoor gatherings and church. For church buildings, weddings and funerals, events are thought of family members solely.
• Masks are required for employees and patrons at salons, barbershops, therapeutic massage remedy, bowling alleys, pool halls, physique artwork institutions and every other indoor companies the place workers and patrons are inside six ft of one another for quarter-hour or extra.
• Bar patrols who’re taking part in video games reminiscent of pool, darts, shuffleboard, and so on., are required to put on a masks when not consuming or consuming.
Extracurricular actions
• Fan attendance for all indoor youth extracurricular actions is proscribed to family members of individuals solely. Extracurricular actions embrace each faculty and membership sponsored occasions.
• Six ft of separation required between family items.
Bars and eating places
• Eating places, bars, bottle golf equipment and gents’s golf equipment stay open for dine in.
• Patrons might be required to be seated whereas on premise except they’re putting an order, utilizing the restroom or enjoying video games.
• 100% of rated occupancy, however six ft of separation required between tables. Bar seating is permitted however six ft of separation have to be maintained between events.
• Most of eight people in a celebration. Teams bigger than eight might want to break up into a number of tables.
• Self-serve buffets and salad bars are permitted.
Church buildings
• No restrict on occupancy however should preserve six ft separation between family items.
Gatherings
• Indoor gatherings might be restricted to 25% of rated occupancy (to not exceed 10,000).
• Outside gatherings stay at 100% of rated occupancy.
• Gatherings embrace however aren’t restricted to indoor or out of doors arenas, indoor or out of doors auctions, stadiums, tracks, fairgrounds, festivals, zoos, aquariums, massive occasion convention rooms, assembly halls, indoor theaters, libraries, swimming swimming pools or every other confined indoor or out of doors area.
• Teams shall be no bigger than eight people.
• Six ft separation between teams required.
• Carnivals and dances held indoors are prohibited. Dancing at wedding ceremony receptions is permissible if people stay at their tables/seats and maintain social distancing between teams. Dance recitals are permitted however should observe the gathering necessities.
• Plans for reopening or increasing to new capability limits have to be submitted to the native well being departments and permitted for all indoor and out of doors areas/venues that maintain 500 or extra people (1,000 or extra in counties over 500,000 inhabitants) earlier than reopening is permitted. The reopening plan should comprise deliberate variety of friends, how the placement will meet social distancing tips and sanitation tips.
Gyms, health facilities/golf equipment, well being golf equipment and well being spas
• Six ft of separation between clients is required.
Salons, barber outlets, therapeutic massage remedy providers and tattoo parlors/physique artwork amenities
• Six ft of separation between clients is required.
• Each employees and patrons are required to put on masks always. An exception might be made for all providers carried out on faces. Patrons might be permitted to take away their masks whereas receiving providers straight. The masks have to be worn by the patron in any respect different instances whereas on premise.
Wedding ceremony and funeral reception venues
• Most of eight people in a celebration (teams bigger than eight might want to break up into a number of tables).
• Dancing at occasions is permissible if people stay at their tables/seats and maintain social distancing between teams.
