CHEYENNE, Wyo. (AP) - Wyoming’s governor on Monday called for a thoughtful, longer-term approach to the new coronavirus that looks beyond a series of shutdowns.
On a day when Wyoming’s biggest ski resorts closed for the season and the University of Wyoming announced it was switching to online-only education for the rest of the semester, Gov. Mark Gordon said he didn’t want to minimize the threat.
“But the same time it is important, as a state and and as a region, that we begin to think about how we re-emerge in a more stable state of affairs, one in a world where we understand business processes must work, people have to go to work, kids must be educated and life must go on,” Gordon said at a news conference in Cheyenne.
Gordon announced he was appointing task forces to study how to respond to challenges the virus causing the COVID-19 illness presents for state government, education, transportation, healthcare, business and financial services.
Gordon spoke soon after recession worries caused the stock market to post its steepest daily percentage drop in over 30 years. Meanwhile, President Donald Trump and White House officials urged people to educate their children at home, avoid discretionary travel and not to gather in groups of more than 10 at a time.
“We certainly don’t disagree with that,” Gordon said. “However, I think it’s very important that we remember that waitresses have to earn a living, that our waiters have to earn a living, that our teachers need to be paid, that our bankers and others need to continue to their services.”
Three people in Wyoming have tested positive for COVID-19 so far.
The vast majority of people recover. According to the World Health Organization, people with mild illness recover in about two weeks, while those with more severe illness may take three weeks to six weeks to recover.
All in-person University of Wyoming classes will go online starting March 30 following a spring break that has been extended by a week due to the virus, university officials announced Monday.
All university events, including all athletics competition and practices and other organized gatherings, were suspended until further notice.
Spring commencement ceremonies were still scheduled to take place in May but university officials were urging students to leave the residence halls if they could.
“Students who live in the residence halls should not return to campus after spring break,” acting university President Neil Theobald said in a release. “Residence halls will remain open for select students who have no alternate housing option.”
Many public K-12 schools around Wyoming were meanwhile shutting down Monday through at least April 3 on the recommendation of state officials.
Jackson Hole Mountain Resort, Snow King Mountain Resort and Grand Targhee resort in northwestern Wyoming’s Teton County all shut down starting Monday. The closures happened despite over 2 feet (60 centimeters) of recent snow, the Jackson Hole News & Guide reported.
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