Monday COVID-19 updates for Sublette County and Wyoming
by Pinedale Online!
March 30, 2020
There were two video updates today, Monday, March 30th, about the COVID-19 situation, in Sublette County and across Wyoming.
The Sublette County Sheriff’s Office hosted an update with Sublette County Public Health Officer Dr. Fitzsimmons, and Sublette County Public Health Nurse Supervisor Janna Lee, and Sublette COVID Team Public Information Officer Sgt. Travis Bingham. The update can be found on the Sublette County Sheriff’s Office Facebook page here. It was also broadcast live on KPIN 101.1 FM Radio.
At the same time, Wyoming Governor Mark Gordon also held a live video update session and press conference which lasted about an hour. With him were Dr. Alexia Harrist, Wyoming State Health Officer, and Dr. David Wheeler, a clinical neurophysiologist in Casper, Wyoming. The video of the press conference can be found here on YouTube March 30, 2020 Governor’s COVID-19 Update
Highlights of Sublette County update:
Dr. Fitzsimmons, Sublette County Public Health Officer:
- Please don’t stigmatize people who do get the virus. It is wrong to assume that the people who get sick are the ones who brought it into the county. Please be kind. Others will likely get it, and you could be the next one.
- Grocery Shopping: We need to do what we can to practice social distancing in the grocery stores. Ridley’s has posted signs and is being proactive to encourage social distancing. Please limit the number of people who go into the store for shopping who don’t need to be there. Please try to go on fewer trips, for example once a week and get what you need rather than a little shopping every couple of days.
- Health officials do not believe this pandemic can be stopped. All we can do is hope to slow it down so we don’t overwhelm our local health care providers. Everyone needs to be very careful in what they do and where they go. Please do not go out if you are sick or someone in your family is sick.
- Facemasks: In general, are of limited utility, but better than nothing. Can’t count on them as guarantees to keep you from getting sick.
- Surrounding hospitals are taking our patients, even ones with COVID-19. All air services are operating and available to Sublette County as normal.
- There is a question about using ibuprofen with coronavirus and making it worse? The science is not clear on that yet. Recommend not using until more is known.
Janna Lee, Sublette County Public Health Nurse Manager:
Sublette County had our first positive COVID-19 case confirmed yesterday. She is self-isolating and Public Health is contacting her close contacts. They are doing everything they can to make sure her needs are being met. Please be kind to those who test positive. It is not their fault they contract this very contagious disease. The positive test numbers will probably increase.
Sgt. Travis Bingham, Public Information Officer for the Sublette County COVID Group:
- There have been some false posts showing up on Facebook. One claiming to be Sublette County news said we had 10 COVID cases in the county. This is not true. Stick to reliable sources to get your news information and updates about the coronavirus situation. The Volunteer Hotline is open during the week, 307-209-4037 or email sublettecovidvolunteers@gmail.com
Highlights of Governor Gordon’s COVID Update & Press Conference:
- They are considering if Wyoming will extend our health guidelines from April 17th to April 30th like President Trump did yesterday.
- The State has received two shipments of Personal Protective Equipment from the National Strategic Stockpile and it is being distributed around the state to places needed most. The University of Wyoming and other groups have started to 3-D print protective masks and shields.
- Emphasize social distancing and staying at home. If sick, stay at home and away from others in your household as much as possible. Clean high touch surfaces. Wash your hands. Only have one person from the household go out to get supplies, and limit frequency of going out as much as possible and getting only essential supplies.
- The Wyoming Medical Society is encouraging Wyoming physicians to stop in-person clinic visits and to instead to do telemedicine as much as possible. Also recommend canceling all elective procedures which is wasting personal protective equipment that needs to be preserved for the -expected surge in patients to come.
- Today the Governor signed an Executive Order that allows bars and restaurants to sell alcohol with take-out and curbside pickup orders, if they were already allowed to do so.
- Working on Layoff Aversion Grants to help impacted businesses keep employees employed.
- The Wyoming Public Service Commission gave every utility the ability to temporarily suspend disconnect notices and waive late fees for customers. Practically every utility in the state has done so. If you can, you should pay your bill.
- Approved for more than 4,000 state employees to work via tele-work.
- Recommend that businesses that are still open take care to pace the customers who come in their stores so don’t have large crowds gather.
The Governor several times emphasized the critical nature of citizens taking personal responsibility in this matter. "Every person that can should be staying at home, not walking around stores, or at family meetings or group outings. The existing orders we have are designed so that you take that responsibility. Change your public behavior and protect all of our health."
The Governor gave a shout-out to the Wyoming Department of Health, Wyoming Department of Transportation, and Homeland Security people for their efforts in getting supplies out into the field where can be of most use.
At this time, they are not issuing a state-wide Shelter-in-Place order. If the State does issue one, it will not have multiple exemptions.
We can expect it to take 3 to 6 weeks to "flatten the curve" and then additional multi-weeks for numbers to taper off. We cannot relax social distancing standards over the next six weeks and probably over the next couple of months.
Thank you to everyone, and especially all the doctors, first responders, and neighboring states for helping Wyoming. We’re all in this together.
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