PHO Explains Exemptions to State Health Order

Johnson County Public Health Officer Dr. Mark Schueler, during Friday’s joint media briefing between the Emergency Operations Center and the Johnson County Healthcare Center, said there has been a lot of interest in the exemptions to State Health Order 3, which allows some businesses to open with the approval of the local and state health officer.

He said he reviewed the statute and consulted with the state health officer and explained the criteria for his decision to allow them to open.

Schueler said that doesn’t mean opening everything for everyone all at once, and that most of us need to wait until for state government to allow easing of the restrictions.

He said there are currently three businesses in the county operating under restrictions, two more that he allowed to open this week, and others he is reviewing to possibly reopen at the end of this week.

All of this will be reviewed with the state health officer, he said, who has given the local health officers leeway in these decision.

Schueler said what is right for Casper or Cheyenne may not necessarily be what’s right for Buffalo or Kaycee, and he feels that is good.

He said that means each community is deciding what is right for them depending on their circumstance.