During his final COVID-19 press conference Monday morning Governor Pete Ricketts said all state-directed health measures will end Monday night.
“The requirements to quarantine and isolate will no longer be in our directed health measurers,” Ricketts says. “We are not going to require masks anywhere. I encourage all organizations to set aside those pandemic rules and move forward together as a state.”
Ricketts says due to the state’s low unemployment rate, the $300 federal COVID-19 unemployment benefit will be ending June 19. He believes the added benefit could prevent Nebraskans from seeking work.
“I do think the $300 a week benefit creates a disincentive for some people to go back to work,” Ricketts says. Since March of 2020 when the state recorded its first COVID case Ricketts says “Nebraskans did what they always do. They take care of their neighbors. They do the right thing,” Ricketts says.
On June 1 Ricketts says he will end pandemic related executive order that allowed restaurants and bars to serve carry-out alcoholic drinks. Ricketts says as of Monday 73 people had been hospitalized for COVID-19 in the state. Ricketts says more than 53 percent of Nebraskans are fully vaccinated and 975, 000 Nebraskans ha received at least one shot.
“Please, continue to get vaccinated,” Ricketts said. “Vaccines work.”