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Testing sites and businesses open up across Nebraska

Latest on state's response
Pete Ricketts
Posted at 1:01 PM, May 04, 2020
and last updated 2020-05-04 19:38:23-04

LINCOLN, Neb. (KMTV) — On Monday, Nebraska Governor Pete Ricketts and other officials provided a coronavirus update as some services begin to open up across the state.

Ricketts started things off by sharing an update on Nebraska’s test sites. He said 137,000 people registered at TestNebraska.com and testing begins today in Omaha and Grand Island. The state is currently carrying out 1,300-1,400 tests a day through private labs and those numbers should be ramping up.

In regards to the need for more childcare options, as people go back to work, the governor said childcare facilities are allowed to have up to 15 children starting today. Since it might be hard to find childcare options, the site nechildcarereferral.org has been set up to help parents find openings.

Restaurants and salons across the state had the option to open back up today. When asked if he planned on dining out, Ricketts said he does and advised anyone who is fearful of doing so, or sick, to stay home. If a business or church isn’t following guidelines on social distancing, and in the case of salons that require masks for patrons and staff, Ricketts asks that people talk to them. If that doesn’t work, he suggests going to the mayor and then police as a final option.

Businesses that fail to honor guidelines may be ticketed and could be shut down if they have too many infractions, he said.

When it comes to the ethanol industry, which is getting hit hard by the pandemic, the governor said he wants Congress to include it in the next stimulus package.

3 News Now Reporter Jon Kipper and Anchor Jennifer Griswold provided live updates via Twitter:

You can watch the stream below:

You can find all our coronavirus coverage here.

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