
Governor Mark Gordon signed an executive order Friday declaring a state of emergency in Wyoming in response to the nationwide coronavirus pandemic, according to a release from his office late Friday afternoon.
The declaration allows Gov. Gordon to more quickly activate the Wyoming National Guard if needed and also makes state businesses eligible to apply for federal funding from the Small Business Association (SBA), per the release.
“Although we have only one confirmed case of COVID-19 in Wyoming, I have taken this action to ensure we are prepared in the event additional steps need to be taken,” Governor Gordon said. “We continue to be most concerned about our state’s elderly and vulnerable populations and want to ensure we are taking all necessary steps to address what we may face going forward.”
Governor Gordon’s Executive Order also permits the State Health Officer to address large-scale health challenges, per the release, and permits small businesses in Wyoming to be eligible for emergency loans from the SBA to help offset impacts from the coronavirus pandemic. For more information on the emergency loan program, visit the SBA website at https://www.sba.gov/.