Nevada Gov. Steve Sisolak announces that he has declared a state of emergency due to the coronavirus (COVID-19) during a news conference at the Sawyer State Building Thursday, March 12, 2020. Nevada Attorney General Aaron Ford listens at right.
Published Wednesday, April 1, 2020 | 10:43 a.m.
Updated Wednesday, April 1, 2020 | 12:26 p.m.
Gov. Steve Sisolak today formally issued a stay-at-home order and extended the closure of schools, casinos and other nonessential businesses through April 30, mirroring the latest guidance from the federal government to help curb the spread of the coronavirus.
On March 17, Sisolak ordered all nonessential businesses closed for 30 days. Schools were initially ordered closed through April 6.
Today’s directive “strengthens the imperative that Nevadans must not leave their homes for nonessential activities in order to prevent the spread of COVID-19,” Sisolak said.
The directive specifies that people will be allowed to leave their homes for essential services, such as grocery shopping and medical appointments. The order does not apply to the state’s homeless population.
“This directive builds on previous directives around school closures, social distancing, closure of nonessential businesses, and bans on public gatherings of 10 or more people by requiring you stay at home unless leaving is absolutely necessary,” Sisolak said.
Unlike similar directives issued by governors in some other states, it does not include any penalties for people who violate the order. It mirrors requests Sisolak has been making publicly of people since mid-March.
Essential employees should continue working, making sure to take proper precautions such as frequent hand-washing, staying home if they are sick and abiding by aggressive social distancing protocols, the governor said.
At least 31 people have died of the coronavirus in Nevada, and more than 1,000 people in the state have been diagnosed with the COVID-19 respiratory disease. A vast majority of the cases and deaths have been in Clark County.
Most people with the virus experience mild or moderate fever and coughing that clear up in two to three weeks. Some, especially older adults and people with existing health problems, can face severe illness, including pneumonia and death.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
