Governor Mark Gordon

The presidential proclamation reads in part "more than 500,000 Americans have now died from the virus."

State Health Officer Dr. Alexia Harrist said the worst-case scenario would be if the state's hospitals begin to become strained from the sharp increase in cases.

Gordon said he supports the rights of businesses to take steps to protect their employees.

Wyoming has seen 22 deaths due to COVID-19, with the most recent coming this week in Sweetwater County.

It will be up to individual long-term care facilities to allow, or not allow, visitors.

Childcare facilities will also be able to operate without restrictions on class sizes, and group fitness classes will be able to include up to 50 participants..

The next step in Gordon's plan calls for state agency directors to identify programs for elimination by July 1, likely resulting in state employees losing their jobs.

In a subsequent statement Thursday, Gordon again clarified that the rodeos were not cancelled due to a state order.

Childcare centers will be allowed to have up to 25 individuals in a classroom.

Gordon stressed that Wyoming's campgrounds will be open to only Wyoming residents. There will also be special guidelines in place when they do reopen.

Wyoming's top public health official urged residents to remember that Wyoming is still in a pandemic as the state begins lifting closure orders. 
"We're still in the midst of a pandemic, and unfortunately we will be for a while," Dr...

The closure orders have been met with protests from members of the public, business owners and elected officials.