NEBRASKA – During Nebraska Governor Pete Ricketts morning press conference, new Directed Health Measures (DHM’s) were announced that will become effective Wednesday, November 11 at midnight and be effective until at least November 30, 2020.
This comes as the state currently has 794 active hospitalizations. Just six weeks ago, hospitals were reporting roughly 200 active hospitalizations. Since Thursday evening, there have been 5,957 new cases of the coronavirus reported according to the DHHS’ online coronavirus dashboard. There have been 83,969 total cases of the virus in Nebraska since the pandemic began.
Governor Rickett’s started the press conference by recommending things that people can do to help stop the spread of the virus.
Those tools include:
- Practice 6-foot social distancing
- Wear a mask
- Wash hands often
- Recommends businesses to further spread employees/customers out and work from home when you can
- Only go shopping once a week, by yourself
- Avoid the Three Cs (close contact, confined spaces, and crowded places)
The new Directed Health Measures are a repeat of past DHM’s that were loosened after cases were declining during the summer.
Listen to Gov. Rickett’s explain the new DHM measures here
- In businesses, masks must be worn by all people when there is close contact for at least 15 minutes.
- Gyms, bars, restaurants, and churches will have requirements of 6 feet of separation between people. Groups are limited to 8 people in restaurants and bars, and churches will be separated by 6 feet between households.
- Restaurants and bars are still allowed to provide dine-in servicers as long as tables are 6 feet apart and patrons must remain seated except when using the restroom, ordering food, or playing games. Rickett’s did add that masks will be required while playing those games.
- In the last DHM that Rickett’s implemented at the end of October, indoor gatherings were limited to 50% occupancy. That is now being limited further to 25% rated occupancy.
- Outdoor gatherings will remain at 100% rated occupancy.
- Weddings will be limited to 8 people per table, but dancing is allowed as long people remain at their table.
- At extracurricular activities, only family members/people within the same household will be allowed to attend.
Governor Ricketts said these measures are necessary as hospitalizations continue to climb in the state.
“This is very serious. We have nearly 800 people in the hospital. We need Nebraskans to step up, redouble your efforts…all the things to help slow the spread of the virus so we can preserve our hospital capacity. We’ve got 800 people in the hospital; six weeks ago that number was 200. We’re seeing rapidly rising hospitalizations, and we need everybody’s help,” said Ricketts.
