Gov. Ricketts explains plans to reopen dentist offices and restaurants

Governor Pete Ricketts provided an update on Tuesday on the upcoming Directed Health Measure changes for restaurants and medical offices.

Several counties, including Cass, Douglass and Sarpy, will have relaxed DHM guidelines for restaurants starting on May 4. Others, including Lancaster County will have the new guidelines beginning May 11th. The DHM changes are indicated in the map below:

The new changes include limiting restaurants to 50 percent capacity, no bar seating, and keeping jobs separated. Self-serve buffets and salad bars will be prohibited, staff must serve food directly to the customer. Patrons will only be able to consume alcohol if they are also consuming a meal.

Likewise, tables will have to be six-feet apart and no more than six people can sit at a table. The Nebraska Restaurant Association executive director Zoe Olson said patrons will have to abide by the Nebraska Promise, meaning that they should not come in if they are sick. "If you think about it, our staff are going to see a lot more customers," Olson said, "Than customers are going to see the staff."

Due to a statewide DHM, dental offices will be able to reopen on May 4. The reopenings will be met with several Recommended Opening Protocols which have been created by the Nebraska Dental Association. These rules are considered living rules and will change when needed to keep both the staff and patients healthy. "We want to assure the general public," Nebraska DHHS dental director Dr. Charles Craft said, "That dental services will proceed with safety precautions for patients, dental staff and providers."

The new rules include no patient-to-patient contact, the elimination of crowded waiting rooms, temperatures to be taken for all staff and patients, limited aerosol procedures and a requirement for all individuals to wear personal protective equipment.

Openings may vary, the decision to open or close will be up to the individual offices. No will be no prohibition on the type of procedures dentists may do.

For a full list of the ROP,