Gov. Steve Sisolak is lifting a statewide social distancing requirement on May 1 that he says will enable every county in Nevada to reopen to 100 percent by the beginning of June.

Final decisions about whether to go to 100 percent will, however, remain in the hands of counties as the state prepares to hand the pandemic health and safety decision-making baton to the counties by May 1, as previously planned. Sisolak denied that the announcement — which comes just one day before counties start presenting their reopening plans to a state task force — was essentially designed to steal the counties’ thunder. 

Though Sisolak framed full reopening as a goal the state is challenging local jurisdictions to meet, multiple counties have signaled their intent in recent weeks to reopen businesses to 100 percent capacity as soon as possible after the state hands over decision-making authority. 

Sisolak, during a press conference on Tuesday, said the announcement was not a matter of who gets “credit” for reopening.

“I’m not interested in who gets credit,” Sisolak said. “We have made the best decisions possible and I’m excited to be in the position that we’re at today. I really am. It’s the first really good news I’ve been able to deliver in a long time, and I’m hopeful that our residents take it that way and we can all move forward stronger.”

For the last year, Sisolak has faced heavy criticism from the general public over his handling of the COVID-19 pandemic — both from those who believe he’s been too stringent in imposing statewide restrictions and those who believe he’s been too lenient — and will likely endure a challenging re-election bid in 2022. 

To read the full article please visit: Sisolak sets June as goal for 100 percent reopening as some counties prepare to get there on their own

This story was published by Megan Messerly and Tabitha Mueller for The Nevada Independent on April 13, 2021, and shared with Noticiero Móvil.