Governor Gordon Ends COVID-19 Public Health Emergency

Two years after its implementation, the COVID-19 public health emergency is officially “over” in Wyoming, as Governor Gordon rescinds his 2020 executive order.

Governor Mark Gordon has signed an Executive Order rescinding the COVID-19 Public Health Emergency. Simultaneously, to facilitate efforts to address the state’s nursing shortage, the Governor has also signed an Executive Order to allow working nurses time to get licensed in Wyoming.

Executive Order 2022-03, “Executive Order Rescinding Declaration Of A State Of Emergency And Public Health Emergency,” immediately rescinds Executive Order 2020-2 – the COVID-19 State of Emergency.

As of Tuesday, March 15, the Wyoming Department of Health reports 228 active cases of COVID-19 in Wyoming. Since the beginning of the pandemic, 1,749 Wyoming residents have died due to COVID-related health complications.

Governor Gordon declared a State of Emergency for COVID-19 just over two years – March 13, 2020.

“Wyoming has done a wonderful job in persevering through the pandemic,” Governor Gordon said. “The emergency is over, but people’s responsibility to one another is not. There is one lingering concern – Wyoming’s shortage of healthcare workers. This shortage includes nurses, and has existed long-before COVID and was only exacerbated by the pandemic.”

Executive Order 2022-02 -“Nurse And Nursing Assistant Staffing Emergency And Temporary Relief” – allows nurses and nursing assistants licensed in other jurisdictions to provide nursing care in Wyoming to address staffing shortages. The order will remain in effect for the next 60 days, ending on Saturday, May 14.

There is still one other active executive order in Wyoming. Executive Order 2022-01 allows W.Y.D.O.T. to “exempt motor carrier drivers from certain regulations, including operating time requirements,” specifically for the delivery of propane this winter.

Wyomingites can find copies of both Executive Orders on the Governor’s website.