This evening, I updated Nevadans on our response to the COVID-19 outbreak, and the latest actions we are taking as a State to help slow the spread. We can't forget we are still in the midst of a highly contagious and deadly pandemic, and that many areas are experiencing a spike.
As you know, we are currently holding in Phase 2 of our Roadmap to Recovery plan, allowing our medical, public health and emergency response professionals to evaluate and analyze new trends that have shown a continuous upward trend of new daily cases.
We have taken steps to help slow the spread, including increasing our contact tracing efforts, extending Phase 2 until at least the end of July and implementing a mandatory face covering directive, which took effect at the end of June.
I have been pleased to see State and local officials working with businesses and communities to enforce these important measures. Nevadans, by and large, continue to heed the call to protect themselves, each other and our State.
We know it will take several weeks for the mitigations we have put in place reflect in our case data, but these measures will help us battle this virus. The State has also been watching compliance information, led by OSHA and complemented by efforts in counties and cities.
Across the country, we have seen far too many instances where hospital capacity appeared fine one day and then were overwhelmed the next with increased COVID-19 patients. We do not want that to happen in NV.
Tonight, I announced that as of 11:59pm tomorrow bars in certain counties in Nevada will be returning to similar restrictions laid out in Phase 1 of our Nevada United: Roadmap to Recovery. We know COVID-19 can easily spread when people are congregating for long periods of time.
In states where we have seen significant spikes they have taken actions to roll back bars. Recently, Dr. Fauci, the US's top infectious-disease expert, advised congregating in bars is one of the most dangerous things people could do. We must heed his advice.
Right now, our HHS teams are confirming the criteria that would designate a county in Nevada as a hotspot. Tomorrow, I will be releasing that criteria and the names of the counties that will be required to close bars tomorrow at 11:59pm, per this directive.
In addition to the rollback on bars in certain counties, I am also adding new statewide restrictions: all restaurants and food establishments, like pubs, breweries, distilleries, & wineries may not seat parties larger than six people -- indoors or outdoors.
And while this directive does not prohibit indoor dining, I am strongly encouraging all food establishments to promote outdoor dining as much as possible as well.
We are monitoring other areas where fellow States have taken action, like swimming pools and gyms. We will continue to monitor compliance in these areas, as well as follow the COVID-19 data, and continue to evaluate and take action as necessary.
Again, these are not decisions that I like to make, but I assure you, I am not making it lightly. Especially while lawmakers are evaluating the budget reductions the State has put forward. We know additional business closures will further effect our economy and impede recovery.
When we began reopening, I committed that we would remain flexible, and let data and recommendations of public health and emergency management professionals dictate the best course of action for protecting Nevadans.
Protecting the health and safety of Nevadans is and always will be my top priority. Right now, that means reimplementing some of these restrictions in order to save lives and protect our health care system.
