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Debate in Wyoming over responses to the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, 2020
These pages were updated from March 2020 through June 2020 and do not contain the latest commentary available. To submit arguments for inclusion on this page, email editor@ballotpedia.org. To learn how Ballotpedia decides which arguments to feature, click here.
Ballotpedia is providing comprehensive coverage of how the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic is affecting America's political and civic life. In addition to monitoring federal, state, and local responses to the coronavirus, we are also capturing the nationwide and local debates on whether to extend or lift coronavirus-related restrictions affecting the economy, schools, government operations, public health, religious services, and travel.
These arguments come from a variety of sources, including public officials, journalists, think tanks, economists, scientists, and other stakeholders. We encourage you to share the debates happening in your local community to editor@ballotpedia.org.
This article covers the debate over continuing restrictions and closures in Wyoming in response to the coronavirus pandemic. You will find the following:
- Debate over the stay-at-home order
- Debate over school closures
- Debate over religious service restrictions
- Debate over election policy
- Links to coverage of responses to the coronavirus in Wyoming
Debate over stay-at-home orders in Wyoming
This section includes a sampling of statements made by public officials, influencers, and stakeholders on the stay-at-home order in Wyoming.
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Wyoming Tribune Eagle (Wyoming Tribune Eagle): In an editorial, the Wyoming Tribune Eagle argued that the governor of Wyoming should issue a statewide stay-at-home order.
"Why not just issue the stay-at-home order? Is it because Wyoming has “only” had 239 confirmed cases of COVID-19 and no deaths (that we know of) so far? If so, that’s a potentially dangerous false sense of security. ... Again, with all due respect, Governor, we disagree. Unfortunately, some people just aren’t getting the message that their actions could very well mean the difference between life and death for themselves and others. It’s past time for you to step up, issue a clearly worded stay-at-home order and direct law enforcement statewide to enforce it, as needed." - "Sorry, Governor, but your message isn't strong enough," April 12, 2020.
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Wyoming Gun Owners (Wyoming Gun Owners): "Wyoming’s economy must be reopened for business or destroying the livelihoods of thousands of Wyomingites and their families may result if we don’t act quickly! ... if we continue to shutter our businesses and cease production in Wyoming that our economy will be dealt a death blow." - "End the Excessive Quarantine," April 24, 2020.
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Wyoming Governor Mark Gordon (R) (Wyoming Governor's Office): "You have done what was asked and have helped to flatten the curve. We are, and have been open for business. What we do in the coming weeks will determine the way we can ease these orders and rekindle our economy. I recognize the tremendous sacrifice we all have had to make, but it has been worth it. We have saved lives.We have got to get this right. We are living in a time where the new reality is that COVID-19 will be with us for the foreseeable future. Until we have a vaccine or a treatment, things are going to be different." - "Governor Gordon thanks Wyomingites, confirms COVID-19 Public Health Orders will remain in place through April 30," April 17, 2020.
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Wyoming Governor Mark Gordon (R) (Gillette News Record): "We are going to emerge into a new reality, a new economy. Social distancing is not going to go away. We need to start thinking about what our schools will look like next year. I’ve been talking with the judicial part of our government to make sure we understand what trials are going to look like. So we are all talking about what our new reality is going to look like. It is critical that we continue to stay the course and adhere to the public health orders that are currently in place. It still remains too early to see if we are near the peak of these illnesses yet. We must all follow the recommendations in place to reduce the likelihood of large clusters of new cases." - "Gordon says it’s time to contemplate life after coronavirus," April 16, 2020.
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Wyoming State Senator John Barrasso (R) (Buckrail): "Wyoming doesn’t need a formal stay-at-home order in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic because people in Wyoming have been social distancing for 130 years" - "Wyoming one of 9 states refusing to issue stay-at-home order," April 6, 2020.
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State Representative Scott Clem (R) (Casper Star Tribune): "The damage to the economy, the state, and society may be worse than the disease, all while people get the disease anyway. We must prepare to live with this disease while maximizing economic activity. It’s hard because people accuse you of, you know, putting the economy over people’s lives. And certainly, you know, there’s a balance there. I don’t want anybody to lose their life, but yet we have to recognize reality for what it is. I mean, people are going to get this doesn’t mean we have to shut everything down in the economy and then create more damage." - "State lawmaker argues need to re-open economy amid coronavirus pandemic," March 31, 2020.
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State health officer Alexia Harrist (Casper Star Tribune): "The best tool we have to reduce the potential burden on our health care system and save lives is for all of us to limit our contact with other people as much as possible." - "State lawmaker argues need to re-open economy amid coronavirus pandemic," March 31, 2020.
Debate over public health actions in Wyoming
- See also: Debate over public health actions during the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, 2020
This section includes a sampling of statements made by public officials, influencers, and stakeholders on public health actions in Wyoming.
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Casper Star-Tribune Editorial Board (Casper Star-Tribune Editorial Board): "Wearing a mask and practicing social distancing are decisions to protect our neighbors, our friends and our community. It’s an act of empathy and compassion: I’m doing my part to keep my fellow Wyomingites, especially those who are older or have underlying health conditions, from getting sick and possibly dying from a highly contagious virus" - "Editorial board: We can take care of our community by following coronavirus guidelines," May 24, 2020.
Debate over school closures in Wyoming
This section includes a sampling of statements made by public officials, influencers, and stakeholders on school closures in Wyoming.
We have not yet identified any statements related to this topic or state. To suggest a statement, email us.
Debate over religious service restrictions in Wyoming
This section includes a sampling of statements made by public officials, influencers, and stakeholders on religious service restrictions in Wyoming.
We have not yet identified any statements related to this topic or state. To suggest a statement, email us.
Debate over election policy in Wyoming
This section includes a sampling of statements made by public officials, influencers, and stakeholders on election policies in Wyoming.
We have not yet identified any statements related to this topic or state. To suggest a statement, email us.
Click the links below for more on responses to the coronavirus pandemic in Wyoming.
- Changes to election dates and procedures
- Statewide stay-at-home order
- Statewide travel restrictions
- Executive orders
- Officials and candidates diagnosed with or quarantined due to coronavirus
- Enacted legislation
- Legislative session changes
- School closures
- Court closures
- Prison inmate release responses
- Rent, mortgage, eviction, and foreclosure policies
General resources
The chart below shows coronavirus statistics from countries across the world. The information is provided by Real Clear Politics.
Click the links below to explore official resources related to the coronavirus outbreak.
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), U.S. Department of Health & Human Services
- National Institutes of Health, U.S. Department of Health & Human Services
- Occupational Safety and Health Administration, U.S. Department of Labor
- U.S. Department of Education
- World Health Organization
- Trends in Number of COVID-19 Cases and Deaths in the US Reported to CDC, by State/Territory
- Coronavirus (COVID-19) Vaccinations, Our World in Data (Number of vaccines administered)
- Coronavirus Vaccine Tracker, New York Times (Progress of vaccine trials)
See also
- Ballotpedia: Political responses to the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, 2020
- State government responses to the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, 2020
- Government official, politician, and candidate deaths, diagnoses, and quarantines due to the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, 2020-2021
- Changes to ballot measure campaigns, procedures, and policies in response to the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, 2020-2022
- Ballotpedia's elections calendar
Footnotes
