Thursday, Nov. 3, 2022 | 2 a.m.
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Nevada reported its first case of COVID-19 on March 5, 2020. The list of Nevadans with positive test results grew as aggressively as the fear of entering public places. Without hesitation, state authorities sprung into action. Gov. Steve Sisolak issued an emergency order to protect the population from soaring medical and prescription drug costs related to COVID-19.
Within days, cases of the virus in Nevada multiplied exponentially, so the governor’s office declared a state of emergency, activated a State Emergency Operations Center, formed a specialized team to respond to the virus, and established the Nevada Health Response webpage to provide updated information and guidance to the public on COVID-19.
The order also gave the green light to ease regulations on government agencies allowing them to buy needed food and supplies. Additionally, it strengthened the attorney general’s power to enforce consumer protection laws. Thanks to this measure, neither corporations nor unscrupulous merchants were able to sell at unreasonable prices products in high demand such as medicinal alcohol, toilet paper, bottled water, etc., which occurred in many other states.
As hospitals saw an alarming increase in COVID-19 patients, the governor took further action and announced the closure of all nonessential businesses for a period of 30 days (which was later extended). His action was backed by authorities in the health community who wanted to prevent the hospital system from collapsing. At the same time, social distancing and mask protocols were implemented.
Conspiracy theories and disinformation generated from high political circles on the national level created a strong resistance to protective measures established to prevent the spread of COVID-19. Conservatives and supporters of then-President Donald Trump staged protests in several cities, demanding Sisolak reopen the state. At a news conference, the governor responded with clarity, strength and morality by saying, “the lives of Nevadans are more important than profit.”
As the entire country suffered from COVID-19, the lack of an appropriate response from the federal government strained the U.S. economy and created supply-chain backups and supply shortages that we still feel the effects of today. Throughout the country, corporations abandoning employees whose fear about how to pay their rent or mortgage grew daily.
In the midst of this untenable situation, a reprieve came for thousands of Nevada families when Sisolak announced a moratorium on evictions to help both residential and small-business tenants, along with homeowners facing substantial financial debt. He made this aid available for the duration of the state of emergency.
The decisive actions of our state leaders helped save lives and taught us some valuable lessons.
As a society we must contribute to and maintain a functional health care system. COVID-19 showed us that when one person falls ill, the rest of us can be at risk. Protecting each individual in our community makes us stronger as a state and as a nation. To that point, Sisolak stood up to the efforts of the Trump administration to roll back the Affordable Care Act’s protections for the preexisting conditions, preserving coverage for more than 400,000 Nevadans by making these protections permanent. Sisolak also ended surprise billing, expanded transparency regarding drug prices and established a Patient Protection Commission.
Sisolak also signed Senate Bill 420 into law in 2021 for a start date of 2026. This landmark legislation will provide a low-cost, high-quality public option for health insurance to all Nevadans. The public option will help small businesses offer health insurance to their employees. It will also benefit workers who lose their job and those who otherwise could not qualify for health insurance at all.
In the short term, the bill will allow approximately 350,000 Nevadans without health insurance to buy coverage at 5% below the cheapest plans currently offered. In the long term, it will be available to all Nevadans, with proponents hoping to lower insurance premiums by 15% over a four-year period.
Other benefits of the bill will enhance Medicare maternity coverage to promote healthier pregnancies, mothers and babies. It will also provide rural Nevadans with quality, affordable options via Nevada Health Link. Correspondingly, the governor approved a digital discount card for prescription drugs to all the state’s residents. The free card, known as the ArrayRX, will reduce the cost of many medications by up to 80%.
When the history books reflect on the decisions taken by our state’s leadership, their actions will be viewed as monumental in building the bridge that took us from a dark pandemic to a bright new future. I applaud Sisolak and other state leaders for their leadership in these dark times.
Ignacio Romero is the Latino anti-disinformation program manager for Battle Born Progress.
