CASPER, Wyo — More restrictive measures are being considered for the next round of Wyoming state public health orders, Governor Mark Gordon said Friday, Nov. 13 at a press conference addressing the surge of COVID-19 cases in the state.
“There will be changes, they will be more restrictive,” Gordon said. He has asked for a one-week extension on current health orders set to expire Nov. 16 to allow time to consider the changes.
Gordon’s remarks were pitched with frustration as he addressed the “knuckleheads” not taking the pandemic seriously as it threatens to overwhelm Wyoming’s medical system and workforce.
“We’ve relied on personal responsibility throughout this pandemic,” Gordon said.
“So ask yourself, “Has that really been working? Have people been taking the responsibility we ask them to?”
County health officers reported to Gordon that Wyoming is on pace to see “3,000 cases a day, with 2% being hospitalized.”
On Saturday, Nov. 14, a record 202 patients were hospitalized with COVID-19 statewide.
“My problem is, if I can’t rely on you, we’re going to have to do something else,” Gordon said.
When asked whether a statewide mask mandate was being considered among these changes, Gordon said, “Yes, we are thinking about every aspect of what we can do.”
“All things are on the table. We want to make sure that we address this issue before we completely lose all ability to respond to health crises. So, yes, we are thinking about every aspect of what we can do.”
Over 20 county health officers joined in a letter to Governor Gordon on Oct. 31 stating that they were “united in recommending a statewide mask ordinance.”
Though every county has had the ability to enact its own mandate from the beginning (and Teton, Albany, and Laramie counties have) the letter said that a statewide mandate “sends a more powerful and effective message in a more timely manner.”
As of Sunday afternoon over 3,500 have signed an online petition urging the Governor adopt a statewide mask mandate.
Gordon added that mask requirements were one of only a “suite” of options being considered for the revised orders.
“It’s not just about masks,” Gordon said, saying that physical distancing and hand washing hygiene would also be addressed in the new orders. Gordon also stressed the importance of being mindful of one’s own health and staying home from work while sick.
Natron County Health officers have said that infected people, dismissing their mild symptoms as allergies or a cold, are going to work and accounting for much of the community spread of the virus. Some studies have shown that about half of coronavirus cases may be asymptomatic, which increases transmission.
