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Updated Directed Health Measures and No Positive Covid19 Tests In SW Nebraska

On April 9th Governor Pete Ricketts announced the State’s tenth COVID-19-related Directed Health Measure (DHM), which provides sweeping changes across the State. The DHM will be in effect April 10th and will last until April 30th unless renewed. A copy of the DHM is available on our website at www.swhealth.ne.gov.

Additions to the Statewide DHM Effective 04/10/2020
All beauty/nail salons, barber shops, massage therapy services, gentlemen’s clubs, bottle clubs, indoor theaters, and tattoo parlors/studios are closed until April 30, 2020.
All organized team sports, youth and adult, including but not limited to club sports are suspended until May 31, 2020.
Auto racing is now specifically listed in the public gatherings section which limits to ten patrons. (Drivers and their crews are considered patrons/invitees, not staff.)

State-Issued DHM Provisions (Apply Statewide) Effective 04/03/2020
Imposes an enforceable, 10-person limit on public gatherings.
Prohibits medical and dental elective surgeries and procedures.
Requires schools (public, private, and parochial) to operate without students in buildings through May 31, 2020.
Cancels all school-related extracurricular activities through May 31, 2020.
Requires restaurants and bars to close their dining areas and move to takeout, delivery, and/or curbside service only.
Requires individuals to home quarantine for at least 14 days if: They have tested positive for COVID-19. They have a fever of 100.4° F or above. They have experienced sudden onset of a cough and/or shortness of breath. They reside or have resided with individuals who have tested positive for COVID-19 or have the above symptoms.
NOTE: The quarantine requirement excludes those individuals with seasonal allergies, COPD, or other diagnoses that may produce respiratory symptoms. Additionally, the directive doesn’t apply to patients who have an alternative non-COVID-19 diagnosis from a healthcare provider. These patients should follow the treatment and guidance provided by their healthcare provider for such conditions.
Some individuals in home quarantine may not experience the onset of symptoms until the latter half of their 14-day quarantine period. In this case, the length of their quarantine may exceed 14 days. Individuals should remain in quarantine until 7 days have passed since onset of symptoms, symptoms have improved, and they have been fever-free for at least 72 hours without the use of fever-reducing medication.
NOTE: See the DHM for additional direction on household members living with those in quarantine.
The DHM’s limitation on public gatherings does not apply to:
Retail or grocery stores where people should maintain six feet of distance from one another.
Childcare centers that may be operated at a school per the Governor’s executive order regarding childcare.
Other locations detailed in the DHM.
The Governor is encouraging residents to apply for unemployment wages. If you are denied Nebraska unemployment, you can then apply for COVID-19 unemployment.
Beauty salons and other businesses closed by the DHM are allowed to continue retail sales, provided they can maintain 6 feet social distancing and no more than 10 customers in their location. Additionally, business loans and grants are available at www.sba.gov.
Contact the governor’s office at 402-471-2244 for questions on unemployment and business loans and grants.
More can be read about the new DHM at www.swhealth.ne.gov on SWNPHD’s COVID-19 webpage, or in the press releases at governor.nebraska.gov.
“Southwest Nebraska residents are doing a very good job to prevent the spread of COVID19” states Myra Stoney, Health Director for Southwest Nebraska Public Health Department. “With no positive cases as of April 10th, 10 pm, the residents of SW Nebraska need to continue to keep our communities healthy through social distancing, proper handwashing and staying home if you are sick.”
There is a statewide coronavirus (COVID-19) information line to help answer general questions and share the latest information and resources with Nebraskans. Keep informed by calling (402) 552-6645; hours of operation are 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. CST, 7 days a week.

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