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Storey County Sheriff Gerald Antinoro said as far as he is concerned Tesla's Nevada battery factory is "part of the supply chain" and can remain open despite Gov. Steve Sisolak's urging of a shutdown of all "non-essential" businesses in the state in order to limit the spread of the COVID19 virus.

"Tesla makes batteries and Powerwalls and whatnot, it is still part of the supply chain," Antinoro said in an interview with the Reno Gazette. "As far as I am concerned at the moment they are good to stay open but the county is seeking further clarification from the governor."

The governor's office is expected to provide more guidance today on what constitutes essential and non-essential business.

COVID-19:Gov. Sisolak announces statewide shutdown of nonessential businesses

During his speech Sisolak did note, "we will ensure that there is as little disruption as possible to transportation and the supply chain in Nevada during this time."

Tesla CEO Elon Musk has publicly downplayed the severity of the virus pandemic, which is counter to the advice of virtually every public health official.

Multiple reports cite an email to employees from Musk comparing COVID19 to a typical flu virus, which medical experts say is a misleading comparison.

The company has not officially released information about the status of its factory in Nevada.

The Fremont, Calif., factory is located in Alameda County, which is among the six Bay Area counties where non-essential businesses have been order to suspend operations. The Alameda County Sheriff's Department has stated the Fremont factory is considered non-essential.

BuzzFeed News reported the Alameda Sheriff has said Tesla has pledged to reduce the Fremont workforce from about 10,000 people to around 2,500.

The San Francisco Chronicle reported on an email from a Tesla HR official to Fremont employees that advised workers they would need to use paid or unpaid time off if they took time away from work.

Tesla has not responded to multiple requests for comment on the Nevada Gigafactory, which was built in part with public subsidies worth an estimated $1.3 billion over 20 years.

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