Lincoln – Nebraska Gov. Pete Ricketts ordered the closure last Thursday of all salons, tattoo parlors and strip clubs and announced the cancellation of organized group sports until May 31, expanding an order that was already in place in the state’s biggest cities.

Ricketts said the executive order was intended to bring consistency to a patchwork of mandates from local public health departments. Some states have opted to preempt local orders.

Salons – where workers must be within 6 feet of customers – in Omaha, Lincoln and many surrounding communities have been closed since late last month, but some of those businesses had been allowed to remain open in other parts of the state.

Ricketts, a Republican, tried to use persuasion and regional restrictions to contain the spread of the coronavirus until earlier this month, when he imposed enforceable statewide limits on social gatherings. Nebraska is one of a small handful of holdout states that haven’t issued formal stay-at-home orders, although Ricketts has argued that many of the state’s restrictions are similar to what’s in place elsewhere.

Ricketts last Thursday also issued a non-enforceable proclamation, calling on residents to stay at home unless necessary, maintain a safe physical distance at work and only shop once a week, with one person per family. It also asks residents to keep children away from playgrounds and group sports, help seniors and exercise daily at home.

“This is about asking Nebraskans to do what’s right,” Ricketts said at a daily coronavirus news conference. He said that if Nebraskans could adhere to the recommendations for 21 days, “we should really be able to take a whack at the virus.”

Ricketts said he’s confident that most residents “want to do the right thing” to keep the coronavirus from spreading and overwhelming the state’s hospitals.

Ricketts’ announcement came as state health officials reported another two coronavirus deaths in Nebraska, bringing the state’s death toll to 15.

Ricketts also pushed back last Thursday against the state public employee union’s request to allow all state employees to work from home if they’re able.

“Our members understand the critical importance of the work they do, and that’s why they must be protected,” said Deb Studl, a state child and family services worker. “If we aren’t kept safe, there will be no one left to provide essential services to the most vulnerable Nebraskans

Ricketts said individual workers who can believe they can do their job from home should make the case to their managers. But he argued that for some employees, doing so isn’t possible.

“We have to continue to provide essential services,” he said. “We all know that every organization in the state is going through challenging times. Everyone is trying to figure out how to work from home. We’re all in this together and we must be mindful of this.”