Gov. Sisolak held a press conference today to update Nevadans on the state's response to the COVID-19 pandemic and highlight what's being done with Unemployment Insurance.
The governor announced new alphabetized call days for unemployment claims.
When you file a new or weekly claim with Nevada's unemployment office, the following system will be in place:
The first letter of your last name and the day to call (if needed) to file your claim or weekly claim on the phone.
A-K: Sunday
L-R: Monday
S-Z: Tuesday
Everyone: Wednesday- Saturday
This should help the unemployment office better manage call volumes.
#Unemployment update from @GovSisolak: More than 300K of our fellow Nevadans have filed for unemployment over the last 30 days. 10,000 per day. 1 in every 10 Nevadans.
— KTNV Action News (@KTNV) April 15, 2020
Q: Will Nevada schools reopen in May. A: We have to wait and see and get the input of medical experts before a decision is made. - @GovSisolak
— KTNV Action News (@KTNV) April 15, 2020
Gov. Sisolak also spoke about personal protective equipment distribution, also knowns as PPEs, in the state. SIsolak says the state has distributed 1.9 million pieces of PPEs. Local health districts like the Southern Nevada Health District are the agencies in charge of distributing those supplies to workers on the front lines.
The governor says right now we are in a yellow zone. That means healthcare professionals are getting the personal protective equipment they need to do their jobs, but we need more so we can get to the green zone.
Sisolak says the PPEs are mainly coming from donations, the state purchasing supplies, and shipments from the national stockpile. It's up to individual counties to make a request for PPE to the state. The equipment then goes to the county's local health district for distribution.
Gov. Sisolak also addressed questions about when Nevada's economy will reopen. He says health experts play a key role in that decision because of Nevada's position as one of the leading tourism hubs in the world. The state has the unique challenge of enacting the highest safety standards possible.
"This is not going to be a political decision as to when to open, I don't have an exact number. I'll take a lot advice from our medical folks and determine what's in the best interest of keeping all Nevadans safe."
Sisolak added that he would work with other western regional governors and Nevada's local governments on a plan to reopen the economy.
