Name: Fauci says Ricketts 'doing a very good job' fighting virus
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Fauci says Ricketts 'doing a very good job' fighting virus

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Sign up now to get the most recent coronavirus headlines and other important local and national news sent to your email inbox daily.Please subscribe to keep reading. You can cancel at any time.Loading&amp;hellp;{{title}}{{description}}{{banner}}(renews at {{format_dollars}}{{start_price}}{{format_cents}}/month + tax){{tagline}}{{special_title}}{{html}}You are the owner of this article.You have permission to edit this article.© 2022 Lee EnterprisesShare ThisFauci says Ricketts 'doing a very good job' fighting virusShare thisDr. Anthony Fauci, the scientific and medical face of the national battle against the coronavirus, gave a green light of approval Monday to Gov. Pete Ricketts' decision not to order a statewide shelter-at-home directive in Nebraska."Even though they have not given a strict stay-at-home order, what they are doing is really functionally equivalent to that," Fauci said during a presidential coronavirus briefing at the White House after speaking with Ricketts and Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds by phone earlier in the day.&nbsp;&nbsp;Fauci said he had "a really good conversation" with the two governors. Nebraska and Iowa are among only a handful of states without stay-at-home orders in place."They are really doing a very good job," he said."They have a lot of things in place that are totally compatible with what everyone else is doing," Fauci said.The phone conversation was arranged by the White House.&nbsp;Earlier in the day, Ricketts had tweeted that Fauci "supports our plans and says our states are 'on the same page' with the direction he's giving.""We briefed him on our COVID-19 social distancing rules," Ricketts said.Fauci is director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases and has been a strong voice in favor of shelter-at-home directives.During his afternoon coronavirus news briefing, Ricketts said Fauci characterized Nebraska's measures to limit social interaction as "what we have been preaching as well."Ricketts has directed that no more than 10 people gather together and that people keep a 6-foot distance from one another while allowing restaurants and bars to provide only takeout, drive-thru and delivery service.That directive began in Omaha, moved into other areas as evidence of the virus' spread, and it has now been applied statewide.Answering a direct question at his briefing, the governor said that Fauci "did not recommend that we go to shelter-in-place."Ricketts spoke Monday from a lectern that carried a sign reading: "Stay Home, Stay Healthy, Stay Connected."That's not a directive, the governor said, but "a slogan we want to promote."Following the briefing, Ricketts later tweeted: "We are asking Nebraskans to further limit social interactions. Everyone should work, go home and shop once a week."Turning to the recent outbreak of identified coronavirus cases in Grand Island, Ricketts said Nebraska National Guard personnel are being dispatched to the city to assist in increased testing.Grand Island is one of a number of cities in Nebraska where meatpacking plants rely on a largely immigrant workforce that labors virtually shoulder-to-shoulder on a swift-moving production line."We want to make sure companies are taking steps to protect workers," Ricketts said, while recognizing that the industry is essential in providing the country with "a strong food supply chain."When asked whether the recommended 6-foot separation between individuals should be applied to workers on meatpacking production lines, the governor said the directive applies to "how we social distance.""It's OK if you're doing it for business purposes," he said. "We understand business needs to go on."We want to make sure it's as safe as possible," the governor said.&nbsp;While the federal Occupational Safety and Health Administration establishes rules for meatpacking plants, states are empowered to apply more-stringent requirements.Ricketts said the state is "working with companies directly" to respond to the current challenge.Earlier, 45 Grand Island doctors sent a letter to the Omaha World-Herald urging the state to conduct more testing for the virus in their community.Grand Island and Hall County have the second-largest number of identified cases trailing only Omaha and Douglas County.The governor said increased testing will also occur in Kearney.As of 6 p.m. Monday, the current numbers in Nebraska were eight deaths, 412 positive tests and 6,462 negative tests.In Hall County, the number of COVID-19 cases grew to 62 on Monday.Ricketts once again noted that April is going to be a challenging month, when the virus is expected to peak in the state."The data indicates that our plan is working," he said, "but we will make any changes that are needed" as the month unfolds."We will take other measures if we need to," he said.While encouraging separation, Ricketts said, "we want people to go outside and get exercise, but keep the social distancing guidelines."Ricketts used the briefing to deliver the message that conditions requiring stay-at-home restrictions can lead to increased domestic violence and asked Nebraskans to be aware of that and "look out for our neighbors."The governor encouraged Nebraskans to take advantage of the opportunity to vote by mail in the May 12 primary election and urged them to respond to the 2020 federal census form, which they can do online.Ricketts said he will participate in another televised town-hall program Thursday on NET and NET Radio, beginning at 8:30 p.m.Reach the writer at 402-473-7248 or .On Twitter @LJSdonSign up now to get the most recent coronavirus headlines and other important local and national news sent to your email inbox daily.State workers union wants Gov. Ricketts to protect state workers from coronavirus and give hazard pay.&nbsp;{{title}}{{summary}}You don't have any notifications.Get up-to-the-minute news sent straight to your device.Topics

Sign up now to get the most recent coronavirus headlines and other important local and national news sent to your email inbox daily.Please subscribe to keep reading. You can cancel at any time.Loading&amp;hellp;{{title}}{{description}}{{banner}}(renews at {{format_dollars}}{{start_price}}{{format_cents}}/month + tax){{tagline}}{{special_title}}{{html}}You are the owner of this article.You have permission to edit this article.© 2022 Lee EnterprisesShare ThisFauci says Ricketts 'doing a very good job' fighting virusShare thisDr. Anthony Fauci, the scientific and medical face of the national...

Fauci says Ricketts 'doing a very good job' fighting virus

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