Governor Ricketts orders directed health measure for Dawes County

Order will prohibit onsite customers at bars and restaurants

Dawes County was included as one of 12 counties in the Panhandle of Nebraska included in the state’s directed health measure, Monday, according to an announcement by Governor Pete Ricketts.

The decision follows the Panhandle’s first confirmed case of COVID-19, Sunday, in Scotts Bluff County. It’s been determined by the Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services that the case is considered to be community spread, meaning the department has been unable to determine how or where the individual became infected.

Monday, the Panhandle’s second case of COVID-19 was reported in Kimball County. The state also reported its third death, a Lincoln County resident who was in his 90s and had underlying health conditions.

The directed health measure makes previously recommended measures such as a 10-person limit on gatherings enforceable and mandatory. It will also limit Dawes County restaurants and bars to delivery service only, prohibiting onsite customers. The measure does not apply to daycares.

The measure also affects medical services, prohibiting elective surgeries and procedures for its duration.

Also included in the order were Sioux, Banner, Box Butte, Cheyenne, Deuel, Garden, Grant, Kimball, Morrill, Scotts Bluff, and Sheridan Counties.

Nebraska’s state total of positive COVID-19 cases was at 155 as of Monday night. Nationally, 140,904 have tested positive for the virus and 2,405 have died according to the Centers for Disease Control. Worldwide 697,244 have tested positive and 33,257 have died according to the World Health Organization.

Symptoms of COVID-19 include difficulty breathing or shortness of breath, fever, cough, and fatigue.

According to DHHS a CDC report said 20-percent of hospitalizations due to COVID-19 in the U.S. were people aged 20-44. Most who are infected suffer only mild or moderate symptoms, but the elderly and people with existing health issues are at risk of sever illness.

The CDC recommends the following as the best way to protect yourself and others from the virus:

-Wash your hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds after you have been in a public place, or after blowing your nose, coughing or sneezing. Hand sanitizer containing at least 60 percent alcohol can also be used if soap and water are not readily available.

-Avoid close contact with people who are sick. Put distance between yourself and other people if COVID-19 is spreading in your community.
-Stay home if you are sick.

-Cover your mouth and nose with a tissue when you cough or sneeze, or use the inside of your elbow. Throw used tissues in the trash. Immediately wash your hands or use hand sanitizer.

-Wear a facemask if you are sick and around other people, and before entering a healthcare provider’s office.

-If you are not sick, you do not need to wear a facemask unless you are caring for someone who is sick and they are unable to wear a facemask.

-Clean and disinfect frequently touched surfaces daily, including tables, doorknobs, light switches, countertops, handles, desks, phones, keyboards, toilets, faucets, and sinks. If surfaces are dirty, clean them using detergent or soap and water prior to disinfection.