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'Spread is taking place': Officials say 35 cases of COVID-19 in Douglas County, no new restrictions "In the next week, this is going to define what it means to be a Nebraskan. We will end up looking like New York City or Italy, or we will be in a much better place, for health recovery and economic recovery." Share Shares Copy Link Copy

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ROB: THE NEBRASKA LEGISLATUR WILL MEET IN A BRIEF EMERGENCY SESSION THIS WEEK. AND THEY’LL TAKE UP HOW THE STATE SHOULD RESPOND TO COVID-19. GOVERNOR PETE RICKETTS IS ASKING THEM TO MOVE MORE THAN 58 MILLION DOLLARS FROM THE STATE’S RAINY DAY FUND, TO THE GOVERNOR’S EMERGENCY FUND. IT’S ONE OF THE THINGS THE GOVERNOR AND I DISCUSSED TODAY TRYING TO ASSESS THE CORONAVIRUS IMPACT YOU MENTIONED HOSPITAL CAPACITY. WHAT ARE YOU DOING TO ENSURE THAT WE WILL HAVE ENOUGH? >> FOR EXAMPLE, THE OMAHA AREA HOSPITALS HAVE CANCELED ALL THEIR INTELLECT OF SURGERIES TO FREE UP THE ORS TO BECOME ICU ROOMS. WE AT THE STATE ARE LOOKING AT WHAT ARE OTHER TYPES OF FACILITIES THAT WE CAN BRING ONLINE TO CREATE MORE HOSPITAL BEDS. I WAS TALKING WITH THE ARMY CORPS OF ENGINEERS ON FRIDAY AND MAY HAVE A PROGRAM USING HOTELS AND TURNING THEM INTO HOSPITALS. WE WILL BE DOING THAT THIS UPCOMING WEEK. THERE IS A VARIETY OF THINGS WE ARE LOOKING TO DO TO EXPAND. >> WHAT ARE YO DOING TO MAKE SURE THAT ANYONE THAT WANTS TO GET TESTED OR NEEDS TO GET TESTED DOES GET TESTED? WE ARE PRIORITIZING PEOPLE AT HIGHER RISK. MEANING NEED TO BE ABLE TO EXPAND IT SO MORE PEOPLE CAN GET THE TEST. RIGHT NOW THERE IS NOBODY IN THIS COUNTRY, THERE IS NO GOVERNOR WHO BELIEVES THEY HAVE ENOUGH TESTS TO BE ABLE TO GIVE IT TO EVERYBODY. WE ALL WOULD LIKE TO HAVE MORE TESTS AVAILABLE. WE ARE NOT THERE YET. IT WILL TAKE WEEKS TO HAVE A KIND O CAPACITY, THAT WE ARE SEEING PRIVATE INDUSTRY STEP UP TO DO THAT. WE ARE LOOKING AT WAYS TO BE ABLE TO EXPAND THE CAPACITY. WE ARE PURSUING THE FEDERAL EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT AGENCY AND NEED TO GET OUR TEST KITS. WE ARE PURSUING SEVERAL CHANNELS ON HOW WE COULD EXPAND THAT CAPACITY TO DO MORE TESTING. ROB: OUR LEGISLATORS GOING TO ME TO DO THIS CRISIS? >> PROPOSE A PACKAGE OF ABOUT $58. BILLION -- $58.6 MILLION. THAT INCLUDES MONEY FO UNMC. THE IDEA IS TO SLOW DOWN THE SPREAD OF THE VIRUS. IT’S GIVING US THE RESOURCES WE NEED TO SLOW THE SPREAD. WE HAVE ASKED TO BE MOVED FROM OUR RAINY DAY FUND AND MOVED INTO THE GOVERNOR’S EMERGENCY FUND SO WE WILL BE ABLE TO KEEP TRACK OF ALL THAT MONEY SEPARATELY AND ALL OTHER OPERATIONS. RO WHAT IF THIS PANDEMIC GOES ON FOR MONTHS, YEARS AND WE RUN TO THE 50.6 MILLION? >> WE WILL WORK WITH THE LEGISLATOR WITH REGARD TO WHAT WE HAVE TO DO HERE AT THE STATE. THE LEGISLATOR CAN ALWAYS GO BACK IN SESSION AND WE EXPECT AS THE PEAK OF HIS GO THROUGH THE LEGISLATOR WILL COME BACK TO FINISH UP THE REST OF THE LEGISLATIVE SESSION. WE WILL CONTINUE TO MONITOR THE SITUATION. ROB: HOW CLOSE ARE WE TO A SHELTER IN PLACE OR LOT DOWN SITUATION? WE ARE TAKING THE MOST RESTRICTIVE MEASUREMENTS WE HAVE IN THE OMAHA AREA. IT IS NOT MY INTENTION TO SHUT DOWN BUSINESSES IN OMAHA OR ACROSS THE STATE OF NEBRASKA. WE HAVE REACHED THE HIGHEST LEVEL OF RESTRICTION IN THE OMAHA AREA THAT IS GOING INTO PLAC UNTIL APRIL 30 AND WE WILL CONTINUE TO MONITOR IT. WE MAKE CHANGES AS WE SEE FIT, NO ABOUT PLANNING ON RESTRICTIVE STEPS. THE APRIL 30 DEADLINE MAY BE EXTENDED. MICHAEL FARTHE WE ARE NOT PLANNING ON MORE EXTENSIVE RESTRICTIONS. RO WE ARE GETTING A LOT OF QUESTIONS FROM PARENTS AND TEACHERS TO MAKE SURE NEBRASKA STUDENTS DON’T FALL TOO FAR BEHIND. SPECIFICALLY THEY ARE CONCERNED ABOUT FAMILY SUED A HAVE ACCESS TO THE INTERNET AT HOME. WHAT WOULD YOU LIKE THE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION TO DO TO MAKE SURE THERE IS NOT A GAP? ANDY: KRISTYNA: -- >> WE ARE NOT THINK SCHOOLS ARE CLOSED, THEY ARE OPERATING WITHOUT STUDENTS. THE IDEA IS THAT SUPERINTENDENTS ARE WORKING TO SEE HOW THEY CAN CONTINUE TO EDUCATION FOR STUDENTS WITH THE GOAL OF IT, EVERYBODY NEXT ALMOST UPGRADE. WHAT WE ARE REALLY WORKING TOGETHER IS TO GET THE PLAN IN PLACE SO THAT ALL STUDENTS CAN BEGIN SCHOOL NEXT YEAR. THERE WILL BE CHALLENGES IT IN ACCESSING SOME PARTS OF THE STATES. COMMISSIONERS WORKING WITH THE SUPERINTENDENT ABOUT HOW TO ADDRESS IT. ROB: THE FED PUSHED BACK THE FEDERAL TAX DEADLINE. THE NUMBER OF STATES HAVE FOLLOWED SUIT INNEBRASKA HAS NOT. WHY NOT? >> THE GUIDANCE CAME OUT FRIDAY FROM SECRETARY MNUCHIN. WE ARE REVIEWING WHAT HAS BEEN PUT OUT AND WE WOULD GET AN ANSWER BACK TO PEOPLE WITH REGARD OF HO NEBRASKA TAXES WILL BE IMPACTED. RO SO SOMETHING MAY HAPPEN THIS WEEK? >> STAY TUNED, WE PROMISE T GET THE INFORMATION OUT. I WOULD SAY THAT THIS IS ONE OF THE THINGS ABOUT THE CORONAVIRUS, IT SPREADS VERY QUICKLY AND IT IS MU MORE LETHAL THAN THE H1N1 VIRUS WE HAD TENURES AGO. THIS IS VERY REAL AND WE WANT PEOPLE TO TAKE IT SERIOUSLY. WE DO WANT PEOPLE TO PRACTICE SOCIAL DISTANCING. IF YOU ARE SICK, STAY HOME. IN THE OMAHA AREA, IF ANYONE HAS FLULIKE SYMPTOMS, YOU NEED TO STAY HOME AS WELL. EVERYONE NEEDS TO STAY HOME IF YOU HAVE SYMPTOMS. THESE ARE THE SOCIAL DISTANCING THINGS WE HAVE PRACTICE. THAT 10% RULE IS IMPORTANT. NEBRASKANS ARE UNIVERSALLY HAVE BEEN DOING A GREAT JOB. STEPPING UP TO MAKE THE CHALLENGE, DOING THE RIGHT THING AND THAT’S ONE OF THE THINGS ABOUT NEBRASKANS.