Statement from Washoe County Commission Chair, Bob Lucey

Citizens should be prepared, not panicked

Reno, Nev. March 6, 2020. On behalf of the Washoe County Commission, I want to first and foremost acknowledge that there is a lot of uncertainly, and at times fear, in our community due to the first case of COVID-19 here in Washoe County. While as a husband, father and engaged community member I understand this, I want to reassure our community that Washoe County, our Health District and our dozens of regional partners are working together, working diligently and working around the clock, to ensure the safety of our community.

Because this is an ever-changing situation, we will continue to work with our partners to ensure we are all sharing information and providing resources and support to properly respond. To provide timely information, our Health District has a dedicated webpage with regularly updated information, washoecounty.us/COVID19 as well as important health tips and real-time information through our social media channels.

As a reminder, the best way you avoid the spread of sickness including COVID-19, is to:

• Stay home if feeling ill
• Regularly wash hands properly throughout the day
• Avoid touching hands, nose or mouth
• Avoid contact with people who are sick
• Keep your home and workspaces clean

I would like ask our community to also keep in mind, while we do have our first case of COVID-19 and with the possibility of this growing, it is likely that many of us will have come in contact or know members of our community who could possibly contract coronavirus. I would urge us all to address our fellow community members with compassion and empathy, verses fear and stigmatization, during this time. This is an opportunity for us to exhibit to the world that we are still #NevadaStrong.

Sincerely,

Bob Lucey, Chair

Washoe County Commission