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State of Wisconsin sent this bulletin at 11/10/2020 06:15 PM CST

View Press Conference on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-p_rSUdhI_8&feature=youtu.be

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: November 10, 2020

Contact: GovPress@wisconsin.gov

Gov. Evers Calls for Unity, Working Together, Signs Executive Order Advising Wisconsinites to Stay Home

New COVID-19 response legislation to be announced in the coming days

MADISON — Gov. Tony Evers tonight delivered a primetime address, calling for unity and working together in responding to the COVID-19 pandemic. The governor’s address comes as Wisconsin had yet another record-breaking day in COVID-19 cases, hospitalizations, and deaths. Today Wisconsin reported more than 7,000 new cases, 66 lives lost, and 291 people hospitalized due to COVID-19. During his address, Gov. Evers pointed to projections from the University of Washington’s Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation. The IHME’s projections indicates that based on current data, approximately 5,000 Wisconsinites could die from COVID-19 by January 1, 2021, if no further actions are taken to slow the spread of COVID-19. That would mean an additional more than 2,500 Wisconsinites who would not make it to New Year’s Day. As COVID-19 continues to surge across the state, Gov. Evers announced Executive Order #94, which includes new measures to combat the spread of COVID-19. Executive Order #94 advises Wisconsinites to stay home, urges precautions Wisconsinites should take to stay safe if they have to leave their home, and encourages businesses to take additional steps to protect workers, customers, and the surrounding community. Gov. Evers also announced in the coming days he will be introducing new COVID-19 response legislation to provide more support for Wisconsinites. He also once again called on Congress to pass legislation providing additional resources to states across the country. Recordings of the governor’s address can be viewed on his YouTube and Facebook accounts. Below are the governor’s remarks as prepared for delivery:  Good evening, Wisconsin. Governor Tony Evers here. Thank you for tuning in tonight. I know I don’t have to tell you that this year has been one of major challenges. A global pandemic—coupled with economic uncertainty and another election season—has shaken our patience, our empathy, and our compassion for one another. Our optimism has been battered, our resilience strained, and our character tested. But now, as we put the election behind us, we are called upon to remember the things that unite us—and that includes the struggles that we share. We must now return our undivided attention to the COVID-19 pandemic. We must start fighting this virus, together, and we must start tonight. As you know, earlier this year, we took steps to contain COVID-19 by issuing a safer at home order. We estimated then that our efforts would save between 300 and 1,400 lives. That order was struck down by the Wisconsin Supreme Court—a decision that hamstrung our ability to respond to this virus by using the tools supported by science and public health experts. Unfortunately, since then, Wisconsin has become a national hotspot. We once led our region in containing this virus, but now surges in our state rival what we saw in New York City this spring. Our case numbers continue to climb. Since just last Friday, we’ve added more than 25,000 new cases. It took us seven and a half months to get to 100,000 cases. But it only took 36 days to add another 100,000. The way things are going, it will take us only 20 days to reach another 100,000. We’ve now surpassed, in deaths, the number of lives we projected we would have saved months ago if we would have been able to keep safer at home and reopen safely. 2,395 Wisconsinites—mothers, fathers, grandparents, friends, and coworkers—have lost their lives, and I offer my deepest sympathies and condolences to those who are mourning the loss of their loved ones. Unfortunately, they will not be the last. The Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation estimates 5,000 Wisconsinites could be lost to COVID-19 by January 1st if no further actions are taken to get this virus under control. That means another 2,500 people who might not be with us on New Year’s Day. Wisconsin, this is serious. This crisis is urgent. Across our state, families, workers, and communities continue to face the challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic. Our healthcare workers are going to work every day, working three, sometimes four, shifts in a row, often having to reuse or share masks, and putting themselves and their families at risk to do their jobs. We owe them our thanks, but they also deserve our action. I am concerned about what our current trajectory means for Wisconsin healthcare workers, families, and our economy if we don’t get this virus under control. So, I want to be clear tonight: each day this virus goes unchecked is a setback for our economic recovery. Our bars, restaurants, small businesses, families, and farmers will continue to suffer if we don’t take action right now—our economy cannot bounce back until we contain this virus. So, tonight, I have signed Executive Order #94 advising Wisconsinites to stay home to save lives. We must get back to the basics of fighting this virus just like we did last spring, and it starts at home. It’s not safe to go out, it’s not safe to have others over—it’s just not safe. And it might not be safe for a while yet. So, please, cancel the happy hours, dinner parties, sleepovers, and playdates at your home. And if a friend or family member invites you over, offer to hang out virtually instead. And unfortunately, with the holidays just around the corner, we recommend that you plan to celebrate just with your own household. You can still invite others to join virtually, but we advise you not to go to any gatherings with people who are not in your immediate home. You can keep supporting local businesses, restaurants, and workers by sticking to curbside pickup, delivery, or using online ordering whenever you can. If you need to get out and go for a walk or a bike ride, that’s alright, too—it’s important now more than ever to get some exercise and take good care of our physical and mental health. Or if you think you might’ve been exposed to COVID-19, please go get tested. And then make sure you’re quarantining at home while you’re waiting for your results and for 14 days after you’ve been exposed. Even if you do test negative for COVID-19, it’s important to remember that just because you test negative today doesn’t guarantee a negative test tomorrow, so please stay home. Otherwise, if you have to leave your home, limit it to essential needs or errands. Please only leave your home if it’s absolutely necessary like going to the doctor, picking up prescriptions, grabbing groceries, or getting tested. And if you have to go out, please wear a mask and stay six feet apart. Wearing a mask is not a political statement—it’s a sign to coworkers or the strangers you pass in the grocery store that you care about them, and they care about you, too. That’s why I’m also calling on business leaders across our state to continue doing their part to keep workers, customers, and communities safe by expanding working from home options for workers, offering online or virtual services, and limiting the number of people in offices, facilities, and stores. Small businesses across our state have been important partners throughout this fight, and I’m grateful for all their good work. And if shifting to virtual work isn’t feasible, please go to WEDC.org to find guidelines for policies to help prevent workplace exposure and to keep workers and customers as safe as possible. As we’ve fought this virus since March, we’ve worked hard to support workers, families, farmers, and businesses across our state. In the coming days, I’ll be announcing a package of COVID-19 legislation that should be passed quickly to make sure we have the resources ready for those who need it. We’ve also used our federal CARES money to get support to Wisconsinites across our state. We’ve supplied more than 16 million in PPE and sanitizing supplies to local communities. We’ve also assisted more than 26,000 small businesses, helped more than 12,000 households pay rent, supported more than 15,000 farms, and expanded statewide testing and contact tracing efforts. But we also know we have a long road ahead of us, and there are workers, families, farmers, and small businesses that are going to need our help as we work to fight this virus, together. Here’s the bottom line—the federal CARES dollars we received earlier this year expire on December 31st. That means unless we get additional support from Congress, our state will have to foot the bill for our response after the New Year. So, please contact your congressperson and ask them to provide additional support and resources for our state’s response to this virus. We must be able to continue all our efforts to keep people healthy and safe. I know this year has been extremely difficult, and I know good news is hard to come by these days. But, as I stand here tonight, I’ll tell you that I’m hopeful—that we can beat this virus and we can rebuild and recover. Anyone would be a fool to count us out, Wisconsin. The surges we see—the new cases, hospitalizations, and deaths—these are not foregone conclusions. These are predictable and preventable. That means the fight against this virus is winnable, but only if we fight it together. So, tonight we must also offer our neighbors the promise of a better tomorrow—a promise that each of us must play a part in delivering by doing everything we can. Right now, we’ve got plenty to prove and a lot to lose. Let’s get to work, and let’s move forward, together. Thank you.

COVID-19 (Coronavirus Disease)

Do your part and protect what’s important to you to help protect everyone in Wisconsin.

COVID-19: Data Pages

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Last Revised: September 30, 2020

 HELP RESOURCES FOR WISCONSINITES

Information Linked from: https://www.dhs.wisconsin.gov/covid-19/index.htm

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

August 19, 2020

Contact:

Jennifer Miller, 608-266-1683
Elizabeth Goodsitt, 608-266-1683

DHS Launches COVID-19 Individual Decision Tool to Help Wisconsinites Keep Each Other Safe

Wisconsin is seeing significant COVID-19 activity, and data show that this is at least partly due to activities like gatherings. Data obtained from contact tracing calls indicate that the percent of people with confirmed cases of COVID-19 who reported attending a gathering, party, or other meet up with people outside their home in the past two weeks grew from 7% of cases in May to 21% of cases in June and 20% of cases in July.

DHS urges residents to consider how individual actions like the decision to attend a gathering may contribute to community spread. To support residents in making safer choices, DHS has launched a new Decision Tool for Individuals and Families.

“The safest choices are to stay home and wear a face covering when you are out,” said Governor Tony Evers. “At the same time, we know from the data that people are choosing to participate in activities that put themselves and others at risk, and we hope this tool will assist people in making safe choices. I understand the pull to see family and do the activities we love to do, but we also need to protect ourselves and each other as much as possible.”

The aim of the Decision Tool for Individuals and Families is to help people assess risk and determine the best course of action to keep themselves, their families, and their communities safe. By providing questions to consider, scenarios to think through, and the available evidence behind certain recommendations, the tool is designed to give Wisconsinites necessary information to make choices that will help stop the spread.

“This tool is meant to empower people to choose safer activities whenever possible,” said DHS Secretary-designee Andrea Palm. “All activities involve some level of risk, and depending on the individual participating and the community where the activity is located, that risk is evolving and multi-dimensional. This tool gives people additional questions to consider when making decisions about which activities to participate in.”

For up-to-date information about Wisconsin’s COVID-19 response, visit the DHS COVID-19 webpage. We also encourage you to follow @DHSWI on Facebook(link is external) and Twitter(link is external), or dhs.wi on Instagram(link is external) for more information on COVID-19.

Washburn County Guidance on Herd Immunity and COVID-19 Parties: CLICK HERE!

Washburn County Mask Mandate Guidance: CLICK HERE!

Washburn County COVID-19 Case Spike Information: CLICK HERE!

GOVERNOR EVERS EXECUTIVE ORDER #82 / EMERGENCY ORDER #1: CLICK HERE!

Douglas County, WI Free COVID-19 Testing

Testing Flyer 2020 Click Here!

WCHD Advisory 4 – face coverings  click here

COVID-19 Wisconsin Connect is a helpful resource for learning new information about COVID-19. A safe place to share your thoughts, check facts, and learn to cope with managing work, job loss, family, stress and much, much more. The Village of Minong encourages all residents to click the logo, sign up and become part of the COVID-19 Wisconsin Connect Community! Or, CLICK HERE!

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COVID-19 Situation Report: June 15, 2020

As of Monday, June 15, the immediate COVID-19 outlook for Washburn County is cautiously optimistic. After the reopening of Wisconsin and the initial influx of summer tourists visiting the county, we have (so far) avoided an outbreak. The testing capacity has increased to assure that anybody who needs to be tested is able to be tested in Washburn County. Our local hospitals have enough masks and gloves for staff and our regional hospitals with the ability to provide ventilator support are not currently overwhelmed. We must continue to practice social distancing and use of face masks, but we can now consider relaxing a bit and enjoying the summer in our beautiful county.

MEASURES TO CONTINUE:

Practice social distancing by keeping six (6) feet between yourself and others. Physical distance between non-household contacts is a key tool in preventing the spread of COVID-19. Crowds become lower risk if attendees are able to physically distance themselves.

Considerations for social gatherings:

• Limiting the size of gatherings is still advisable. If a gathering sees 200 attendees in a room together, the risk of virus transmission increases greatly because social distancing is difficult to practice and the likelihood of participants disregarding mask recommendations or policies increases. If one individual in the crowd has COVID-19, the other 199 attendees will be in quarantine for 14 days from the date of the gathering.
• If you do hold an event, register all attendees. Be sure to compile a list of everybody in attendance, including any vendors or staff, along with contact information. One method to complete this would be requiring registration prior upon arrival. This will ensure that anyone who is exposed to COVID-19 at a gathering is informed of their risk of infection and given instructions on quarantine and symptom monitoring. This is key to stopping the spread of the virus.

Considerations for parents:

• Take precautions while at the playground. Parents should encourage their children to keep physical distance between themselves and other children using playground equipment. Children should wash their hands or use hand sanitizer before and after using playground equipment.
• Consider alternative ways to participate in summer sports. Parents and coaches should encourage physical distancing between children. Team sports, such as baseball, softball, and soccer, should consider having children sit with their parents in the stands (distanced from other families) instead of in the dugout or on the bench if there is not enough room for teammates to spread out.
• It is up to the parents to decide how much risk you want to take. Children appear to be at lower risk of serious complications from COVID-19, however we are seeing an alarming increase in reports of Multi-System Inflammatory Syndrome in children with COVID-19 which can cause permanent internal damage or death. Children also appear more likely to be asymptomatic carriers of COVID-19 and can unknowingly spread the virus to high-risk family members, such as grandparents.

Wear a mask or face covering. Especially where physical distancing of six (6) feet is difficult, you should wear a mask or face covering when in public. Masks act as a physical barrier between the wearer’s nose/mouth and the air to prevent infectious respiratory droplets from entering the air. Masks may not be enjoyable to wear, but using them helps to keep you from unknowingly infecting others. It is worth a little discomfort to keep the community healthy.

Get tested if you have any symptoms. No matter how mild the symptoms, if you have even one symptom you should get tested. Symptoms include fever, chills, headache, sore throat, shortness of breath, cough, muscle aches, abdominal pain, vomiting, diarrhea, and new loss of taste or smell. Testing is available in Washburn County to anyone experiencing COVID-19 symptoms or anyone who has been exposed to an individual with COVID-19. Call your provider or find instructions on accessing testing on the Washburn County website: https://www.co.washburn.wi.us/news/public-health/Coronavirus-Outbreak

Stay home if you have symptoms, test positive, or are told that you are a close contact of someone with COVID-19. Because this is a pandemic, we expect to see cases regardless of precautions put in place. However, if people stay home when they are infectious or in their incubation period, we can keep the case count under control, our local and regional health care systems from being overwhelmed, and avoid needing to lock everything down again.

Be aware of who your close contacts are. Many people have expanded their circle of close contacts to individuals beyond the household. If you are now gathering with your extended family, neighbors, or friends and are not wearing masks or social distancing, make sure you are able to tell the Health Department who those people are if you do get COVID-19. We will need to contact them to inform them of their exposure and provide instructions on quarantine and symptom monitoring. This is key to stopping the spread of the virus.

COVID-19 IS AN ONGOING GLOBAL PANDEMIC

We are not through this yet. Because this is a global pandemic, every one of us could get sick with COVID-19. It will continue to spread until we have all had it or until we have a vaccine to prevent it. Many areas that have relaxed prevention measures are seeing spikes in cases (including: Arizona, South Carolina, Alabama, Florida, and a dozen other states). We can expect to see an increase in cases this fall with the start of influenza season because that is typically when we see all seasonal respiratory viruses increase. Co-infections have the potential to cause worse outcomes for individuals who contract COVID-19 and see more patients needing major medical interventions.

The Washburn County Health Department recognizes that this is a challenging time for everyone, full of uncertainties. These precautions are necessary because we do not have any other tools available to protect the public from COVID-19. Until a vaccine or treatment becomes available to prevent serious cases and death, the public must stay vigilant in its practices to prevent getting sick and prevent unnecessary deaths. We will continue to monitor the situation, take any necessary steps to ensure the health and safety of our residents, and provide updates to the public.

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DRIVE UP COVID-19 TESTING FLYER: CLICK HERE!

NATIONAL GUARD TESTING SITES: CLICK HERE!

WASHBURN COUNTY HEALTH DEPARTMENT DRIVE UP TESTING: CLICK HERE!

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
05/01/2020
Contact: Cheri Nickell, Washburn County Health Officer
715-635-4400
COVID-19: Drive-up Testing Event Available for Washburn County Residents

Washburn County Health Department announced today that local public health departments in northern
Wisconsin have requested assistance from the WI National Guard to scale up COVID- 19 testing.
Washburn County Health Department and Emergency Management are partnering with Douglas County and
Bayfield County to host a community “drive-up” specimen collection site in Solon Springs on
Wednesday, May 6th, 2020 from 10:00 am to 7:00 pm.

WASHBURN COUNTY HEALTH DEPARTMENT FACE MASK PRESS RELEASE CLICK HERE!

GOVERNOR EVERS: HEALTH ORDER #12 SAFER AT HOME CLICK HERE!

GOVERNOR EVERS PRESS RELEASES: CLICK HERE!

GOVERNOR EVERS  EMERGENCY ORDER #11 PUBLIC SERVICE COMMISSION ADMINISTRATIVE RULES SUSPENSIONS: CLICK HERE!

*NOTICE OF OFFICE CLOSURE TO ALL VILLAGE OF MINONG RESIDENTS: CLICK HERE!

VILLAGE OF MINONG RESOLUTION CV19-20 DECLARING A PUBLIC HEALTH EMERGENCY IN RESPONSE TO THE COVID-19 CORONAVIRUS: CLICK HERE!

*WASHBURN COUNTY HEALTH DEPARTMENT UPDATED (3.19.20) COVID 19 MESSAGE MAP: CLICK HERE!

*GOVERNOR EVERS DECLARATION: COVID-19 HEALTH EMERGENCY IN THE STATE OF WISCONSIN: CLICK HERE!

*STATE OF WI COVID 19 HEALTH EMERGENCY ANNOUNCEMENT: CLICK HERE!

*GOVERNOR EVERS STATE OF WISCONSIN EMERGENCY ORDER #5: CLICK HERE!