Sisolak’s leadership will be crucial as Nevada navigates this shutdown

Thursday, March 19, 2020 | 2 a.m.

As Gov. Steve Sisolak stepped to a microphone Tuesday evening for an announcement about the coronavirus outbreak, he knew what he was about to say would cause economic pain and anxiety for Nevadans for weeks or even longer.

But he also knew this: It would save lives.

So when Sisolak took steps that no Nevada governor would ever want to take — ordering the closure of all nonessential businesses and shutting down gaming devices for 30 days — he made the right call.

“My ultimate goal here is to come together as Nevadans to save life,” Sisolak said. “That requires aggressive strategies aimed at mitigating community spread. Medical professionals have made it abundantly clear that there is no treatment. While the vaccine is being developed, we don’t have time to waste. At this time we must act aggressively and decisively to protect ourselves, our families in our community.”

That’s heartbreaking, but true.

Sisolak had made it clear as recently as Sunday that he didn’t want to close businesses and pull the plug on gaming, but in consulting with health care experts, he came to the informed conclusion that it was necessary to slow the spread of the deadly disease and prevent it from overwhelming our state’s hospitals and medical providers.

In a term that has become familiar to Americans in recent weeks, the closures are about flattening the curve of the disease. By staying out of casinos, restaurants and other public spaces, we will limit the close contacts through which the coronavirus spreads. In turn, that will prevent it from catching like wildfire and filling hospital beds that are needed for treatment of the illnesses and injuries that happen every day.

But it will be painful. Nevadans from border to border awakened Wednesday to a new world in which many of them faced uncertainty about their income. Others were adjusting to working at home and scrambling to manage their children amid statewide school closures. For everyone, the threat of a crisis-triggered recession loomed.

In this worry-filled environment, many local employers have taken the commendable step of ensuring that their employees will continue to be compensated and receive benefits during closures. Meanwhile, Nevada’s state, congressional and civic leaders are working to obtain emergency federal funding for individuals, small businesses, the resort/tourism industry, etc.

But as Sisolak noted, the key to riding out the closures rests in Nevadans working together and helping each other.

That can occur in many different forms — giving to meal programs such as Three Square, donating money and items to homeless shelters, shopping for elderly or ill neighbors, not hoarding food products and other necessities, supporting restaurants that deliver or provide drive-thru and curbside pickup service, and many more.

But a big part is curtailing trips out of the home, going out only when necessary for food, medical supplies, exercise and recreation, banking and so forth.

“Please, please take this seriously,” Sisolak said. “Lives are at stake, and each day passing, this pandemic is growing. Please stay home for Nevada.”

That’s good leadership — listening to experts, following their advice and making responsible decisions — and Sisolak wasn’t the only Nevadan demonstrating it in recent days. The private sector stepped up, as well, with several resort companies and other employers in Nevada voluntarily shutting down to protect their guests and employees.

What’s at stake here is a disease that, if not urgently addressed, could kill as many as 1.7 million people in the United States alone, according to an estimate fromthe Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Against this potential loss of life and of serious illness for millions more Americans, Sisolak’s decision was proper.

But now that the closures are setting in, it’s critical for the governor to continue keeping the public updated and informed on the crisis. Although he’s chosen not to hold in-person news conferences, he should schedule electronic media briefings and ensure that he and his team remain available for questions from reporters and the public. This is what other governors have done as they have led their states, and Sisolak must provide similar leadership during this crisis. Overcommunicating is not the risk; undercommunicating is.

Furthermore, Sisolak must direct state agencies to be more forthcoming on information about many aspects of the impact of this virus. The people of Nevada have not heard enough from the governor and various state agencies in the early days of the crisis. This is when the character of a leader emerges, and Sisolak should continue to show Nevadans there is a firm hand on the wheel.

It’s unclear what these next several weeks will bring. But one thing for certain is that Nevada will continue to need strong, visible leadership from Sisolak.