The state early this week launched its Nevada Health Response website to outline what it is recommended for responding to COVID-19.
Governor Steve Sisolak on March 17, 2020 said “the most effective course of action for all Nevadans is to stay home and for all non-essential businesses to temporarily close for 30 days.”
We’re boiling down the important points about which businesses are considered essential versus non-essential, according to the state.
This Is Reno has been inundated with questions, so it is hoped this guide helps to answer some those questions. Information is current as of March 19, 2020. This post will be updated if information changes.
Visit the Health Response website for up-to-date information: https://nvhealthresponse.nv.gov/
All social gatherings should be postponed or canceled
That includes concerts, sleepovers, theater performances, athletic events, house-guests, shopping in malls and gym workouts. The governor strongly urged faith leaders to “find ways to tend to your congregation without bringing them together in person.”
Essential businesses and services
- Fire services, law enforcement agencies, ambulances, paramedics, all emergency medical services & public safety agencies
- Healthcare services
- Businesses or organizations that provide food, shelter, or critical social services for disadvantaged populations
- Utilities as defined in NRS Chapter 704
- Trash collection
- Home maintenance/repair services
- Auto repair services & trucking service centers
- Grocery stores, supermarkets, hardware stores, convenience & discount stores
- Pharmacies, healthcare operations, & biomedical facilities
- Post offices & shipping outlets
- Gas stations & truck stops
- Banks & financial institutions
- Veterinary services & pet stores
- Laundromats & dry cleaners
- Food processing
- Agriculture, livestock & feed mills
- Logistics and supply chain operations
- Warehousing, storage, distribution, and supply-chain related operations
- Air transportation
- Public transportation
- Essential stays in hotels, commercial lodging, dormitories, shelters, and homeless encampments
- Child care centers and daycares operating in accordance with requirements set forth by their licensing authorities and COVID-19 guidance
The Health Response Center said that all employees and patrons should use strict social distancing practices. Businesses should also:
- Remind employees of best hygiene practices, including washing their hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds.
- Increase the frequency of cleaning and sanitizing per CDC Environmental Cleaning and Disinfection guidance of all hard surfaces, including tables and countertops that are being utilized by employees and patrons during pickup/delivery options.
Service businesses
Businesses such as legal services, consulting, insurance and so on are encouraged to conduct business remotely.
Non-essential businesses
These businesses include but are not limited to:
- Entertainment and hospitality, including but not limited to strip clubs and brothels, casinos, concert venues, arenas, auditoriums, stadiums, large conference rooms, meeting halls, and cafeterias
- Recreation and athletic facilities, including but not limited to community and recreation centers, gyms, health clubs, fitness centers, yoga, barre and spin facilities
- Beauty and personal care services and facilities, including but not limited to barber shops, beauty, tanning, waxing hair salons, and nail salons and spas
- Retail facilities, including shopping malls except for pharmacy or other health care facilities within retail operations. Retailers are encouraged to continue online operations with pickup and delivery
All gaming activity should be shut down, Sisolak said.
Food and beverage businesses
Sisolak said that all restaurants and bars should close dine-in facilities.
“Businesses that offer carry-out, delivery, and drive-through food and beverage service may continue to do so, but eating and drinking inside restaurants and bars is temporarily prohibited. These businesses offering carry-out, delivery, and drive-through food and beverage should employ strict social distancing protocol.”
Charitable food distribution sites, including the meals being distributed to our students in wake of the school closings, along with grocery stores, should remain fully open and operational.
Food services for healthcare facilities and other essential facilities should remain open.
- Any buffet or food stations used in charitable food distribution settings should transition to boxed meals or served through gloved staff members or volunteers.
- Restaurants throughout Nevada, in addition to pubs, wineries, bars, and breweries that include meals provided by a full kitchen should be reduced to serving food only in a drive-thru, take-out or delivery capacity. No dine-in at food establishments should be allowed until further notice. This also includes food courts, coffee shops, catered events, clubs, bowling alleys, and other similar venues in which people congregate for the consumption of food.
- Pubs, wineries, bars, and breweries that do not include meals provided by a full kitchen should close.
Cannabis
Licensed cannabis stores and medical dispensaries should only remain open if employees and consumers strictly adhere to the social distancing protocol. UPDATE: dispensaries may only deliver.
Mining
- Restrict meetings, safety meetings/tailgate talks, and gatherings to no more than 10 people. (Ref. – Guidance on Preparing Workplaces for COVID-19, OSHA 3990-03 2020)
- Establish effective social distancing protocols, which ensure that staff maintain a 6 foot personal separation from other staff during meetings, discussions, etc. where 10 people or less are present.
- Ensure that social distancing protocols are maintained during operation of mobile service equipment designed for 2 or more passengers including, but not limited to, man lifts, scissors lifts, etc. (Ref. – Guidance on Preparing Workplaces for COVID-19, OSHA 3990-03 2020)
- Provide sanitation and cleaning supplies for addressing common surfaces in multiple user mobile equipment and multiple user tooling. (Ref. – Guidance on Preparing Workplaces for COVID-19, OSHA 3990-03 2020)
Maintain 6 foot separation protocols for labor transportation services, such as buses, vans, etc. Conduct daily surveys of changes to staff/labor health conditions. (Ref. – Guidance on Preparing Workplaces for COVID-19, OSHA 3990-03 2020) - Ensure that any identified first-responders in the labor force are provided and use the needed Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) and equipment for protection from communicable or infections disease. (29 CFR 1910.1030)
Provide access to potable and sanitary water (30 CFR 56, and 57)
Construction
- Restrict meetings, safety meetings/tailgate talks, and gatherings to no more than 10 people. (Ref. – Guidance on Preparing Workplaces for COVID-19, OSHA 3990-03 2020)
- Establish effective social distancing protocols, which ensure that staff maintain a 6 foot personal separation from other staff during meetings, discussions, etc. where 10 people or less are present.
- Ensure that social distancing protocols are maintained during operation of mobile service equipment designed for 2 or more passengers including, but not limited to, man lifts, scissors lifts, etc. (Ref. – Guidance on Preparing Workplaces for COVID-19, OSHA 3990-03 2020)
- Provide sanitation and cleaning supplies for addressing common surfaces in multiple user mobile equipment and multiple user tooling. (Ref. – Guidance on Preparing Workplaces for COVID-19, OSHA 3990-03 2020)
Maintain 6 foot separation protocols for labor transportation services, such as buses, vans, etc. Conduct daily surveys of changes to staff/labor health conditions. (Ref. – Guidance on Preparing Workplaces for COVID-19, OSHA 3990-03 2020) - Ensure that any identified first responders in the labor force are provided and use the needed Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) and equipment for protection from communicable or infections disease. (29 CFR 1910.1030)
- Provide access to potable and sanitary water (29 CFR 1926.15)
Manufacturing
- Restrict meetings, safety meetings/tailgate talks, and gatherings to no more than 10 people. (Ref. – Guidance on Preparing Workplaces for COVID-19, OSHA 3990-03 2020)
- Establish effective social distancing protocols, which ensure that staff maintain a 6 foot personal separation from other staff during meetings, discussions, etc. where 10 people or less are present.
- Ensure that social distancing protocols are maintained during operation of mobile service equipment designed for 2 or more passengers including, but not limited to, man lifts, scissors lifts, etc. (Ref. – Guidance on Preparing Workplaces for COVID-19, OSHA 3990-03 2020)
- Provide sanitation and cleaning supplies for addressing common surfaces in multiple user mobile equipment and multiple user tooling. (Ref. – Guidance on Preparing Workplaces for COVID-19, OSHA 3990-03 2020)
Maintain 6 foot separation protocols for labor transportation services, such as buses, vans, etc. Conduct daily surveys of changes to staff/labor health conditions. (Ref. – Guidance on Preparing Workplaces for COVID-19, OSHA 3990-03 2020) - Ensure that any identified first responders in the labor force are provided and use the needed Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) and equipment for protection from communicable or infections disease. (29 CFR 1910.1030)
- Provide access to potable and sanitary water (29 CFR 1910.141)
This Is Reno’s COVID-19 news coverage
State announces updated COVID-19 vaccines now available
Nevadans can now get the updated COVID-19 vaccines to protect against the new strains of the disease, the Nevada Department of Health and Human Services announced Wednesday.
America’s Frontline Doctors, Nev. doctor face court defeats over hydroxychloroquine death (updated)
America’s Frontline Doctors and a Nev. doctor, Medina Culver, have faced two court losses after being sued by a Sparks man’s family for wrongful death.
Northern Nevada sees spikes in Covid-19 hospitalizations as feds end free vaccines
Across the country, there’s been an increase in Covid-19 hospital admissions, emergency department visits, and positive tests.
200,000 Nevadans will need to re-qualify for Medicaid as pandemic provision winds down
An estimated 200,000 Medicaid recipients will need to re-qualify for eligibility starting April 1 or risk losing health care benefits as Nevada begins to wind down a pandemic-era provision.
Vegas physician, America’s Frontline Doctors sued after Washoe County man died from hydroxychloroquine
The estate of Jeremy Parker last week sued the anti-vaccination, right-wing group America’s Frontline Doctors for alleged wrongful death. Dr. Medina Culver, an osteopathic physician and Instagram influencer based in Henderson, Nevada, is also named in the case.
County: Respiratory viruses pose ‘triple threat’ in community
Officials at the Washoe County Health District said the region is seeing a respiratory illness “triple threat” with cases of COVID-19, RSV and influenza on the rise.
RSV, COVID increasing across Washoe County
Respiratory illnesses including RSV, short for respiratory syncytial virus, and COVID-19 are increasing in Washoe County based on the latest case counts and forecasting from wastewater data studies.
Health District: Prepare for flu season
Flu season is starting now and it’s time to get the flu vaccine, according to Washoe County Health Officer Kevin Dick.
New COVID-19 boosters available, monkeypox vaccine event nearly full
Washoe County Health District officials this week said the new bivalent COVID-19 booster is available in the community and encouraged locals to get their dose.
COVID cases are down, monkeypox is up and flu season is on the horizon
Washoe County’s community risk level for COVID-19 has dropped to the low range based on criteria set by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
