CHEYENNE — During a press conference Thursday afternoon, Governor Mark Gordon and State Health Officer Dr. Alexia Harrist said the state has been working to safely allow more visitation at long-term care facilities across Wyoming.

With the fall and winter months upon us, the state understands outdoor visitation will become limited sooner rather than later. Therefore, they have been working alongside the federal government to make updates to visitation guidance for these facilities amid the COVID-19 Coronavirus pandemic.

The state is in the process of updating state-level guidance as well.

“We want to make sure that visitations can occur and that they an occur safely, as soon as possible,” Governor Gordon said.

Governor Gordon said the state has allocated a lot of CARES Act funding to long-term care providers for personal protection equipment, testing materials, and in the last couple of weeks for infrastructure at these facilities to accommodate changes to allow for more indoor visitation.

Dr. Harrist said new indoor visitation guidelines will be permitted in the coming days.

“I know that the burden has been so, so tough,” she said.

Governor Gordon said it is all about finding a balance between keeping the state’s elderly people safe and sequestered from the virus, while also ensuring they are not isolated from family and loved ones.