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What’s the difference? Shelter in place, stay at home, and directed health measures defined

FREMONT – Shelter in place. Stay at home. Directed Health Measure. These terms have become as common in our daily world as the words “coronavirus,” or “go big red,” but what do the different terms actually mean?

Shelter in Place

A shelter in place order is traditionally used to place people in a safe, indoor location for a short period of time during an acute crisis. “Shelter in place means finding a safe location indoors and staying there until you are given an ‘all clear’ or told to evacuate,” notes Yale University’s website. You might shelter in place during a tornado warning in the summer, for example. If there were ever to be a nuclear power plant emergency, nearby residents might be told by the state government to shelter in place until it was safe to evacuate the area. An active shooter situation may result in a shelter in place order given by the local police. In each situation, “shelter in place” is a response to an acute emergency with the expectation of an all clear signal to come from local authorities.
With respect to the pandemic, “shelter in place” is being used by some states in a way that’s really synonymous with a “stay at home” order.
Nebraska is not under a Shelter in Place order.

Stay at Home

A stay at home order means exactly what it sounds like: except for activities specifically authorized in the order, residents in the ordered area must stay at home. A stay at home order usually closes non-essential businesses, and identifies by industry the businesses that have specific permission to remain open. A stay at home order often specifically identifies what people may leave their homes to do, like purchase groceries and supplies or seek medical care.
States that have issued stay at home orders have each identified “essential” services and businesses, which are allowed to remain open. In California, most retail stores and corporate offices in the state have been ordered shut. Grocery stores, pharmacies, banks, and cleaning facilities remain open. Public transportation continues to run. Residents are not supposed to leave home for work unless they work for an “essential” business.
New York has a similar order, but allowed restaurants and bars to remain open for takeout only. Childcare providers are also allowed to remain open in that state. Non-essential gatherings of any size are strictly prohibited in the State of New York.
With a stay at home order, any individual found violating the order can be stopped by the police and cited.
Nebraska is not under a Stay at Home order.

Directed Health Measure

A Directed Health Measure, or DHM, is a legal order used by a specific community (city, county or state) to create enforcement measures necessary to prevent the spread of communicable disease, illness or poisoning. The objective of a DHM is to reduce disease or illness spread, save lives, and protect health care professionals. Directed Health Measures keep the health care system functioning during a crisis.
All 93 counties in Nebraska are now under a DHM from the State. Many counties and cities are under additional DHM orders from their own Public Health Departments or City Board of Health.
Governor Pete Ricketts has stated that the State level DHM is functionally equivalent, for the purpose of slowing the spread of COVID-19 in Nebraska, to what other states have used a Stay at Home order to accomplish.

Proclamations

On Thursday, April 9th, Governor Pete Ricketts signed a proclamation declaring April 9th through 30th “21 Days to Stay Home and Stay Healthy.” A proclamation is not a legal order.
The Office of Governor Pete Ricketts offers proclamations as a courtesy to Nebraskans. Proclamations honor organizations or highlight issues and causes about which Nebraskans care. These are honorary documents and they do not carry the force of law.

Bottom Line

No matter what the government has ordered, it’s vital that every Nebraskan take personal responsibility for stopping COVID-19 before it overwhelms our local health care infrastructure. Practicing strict social distancing right now will help bring a quicker end to the need for social distancing overall.
10 actions for Nebraskans to be taking now:

  1. Stay 6 feet away from others.
  2. Stay at home and only grocery shop once per week, alone.
  3. Wear a cloth face covering in public (grocery stores, pharmacies etc) when you can’t stay 6 feet away from others.
  4. Work from home when at all possible.
  5. Hold conference calls or virtual meetings instead of in person.
  6. Stay home if you or someone in your house has a sudden onset of cough or shortness of breath or a fever.
  7. Wash hands often with soap and water. If soap and water aren’t available, use an alcohol-based sanitizer.
  8. Wash hands before you eat – every time.
  9. Cover your nose and mouth with a tissue when you cough or sneeze, then throw the tissue in the trash.
  10. Clean and disinfect frequently touched objects and surfaces, especially counters, handles, doorknobs, tabletops, remotes and keyboards.

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