Teton County on Saturday ordered older adults, people living in nursing homes, those with high-risk medical conditions and those living with an older adult or person with a high-risk medical conditions to stay at home.
The county became the first in the state to issue such a “shelter-in-place” order. Dr. Travis Riddell, Teton County’s health officer, issued the order in the face of the 13 coronavirus cases detected in the county.
The order bans travel by the identified individuals except to perform tasks essential to health and safety, such as obtaining medical supplies or supplies needed to work from home, to care for a family member or pet in another household, to obtain or deliver services or supplies such as food or to travel to a place of employment if work cannot be done remotely from home.
In his order, Riddell cited the fact that restrictions on such travel are needed to slow the spread of coronavirus and protect the county’s health care system from being overwhelmed.
The order is in effect until April 17.
Earlier in the day, a spokesperson for Teton County said Governor Gordon was failing Wyoming for not issuing a shelter-in-place mandate.
“Western states that surround us are all in a shelter in place but not us, we’re gonna let the numbers climb, allow hospitals to get inundated and watch people die,” said Kristen Waters, public information specialist for Teton County.
“But that’s cool because we’re cowboying up and doin’ it the Wyoming way, where essential businesses are firearm & ammunition and liquor stores,” she said.
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