Amid COVID-19, Wisconsin’s ‘Safer at Home’ order to last 30 days
An order to prevent nonessential travel and business visits will be in place for the next 30 days in Wisconsin.
ABC affiliate WISN-TV reports the order only permits essential travel and activities and strongly encourages social distancing.
The "Safer at Home" order went into effect at 8 a.m. Wednesday and will remain in effect until 8 a.m. April 24.
The order includes the closure of all nonessential businesses due to the outbreak.
Gov. Evers orders non-essential Wisconsin businesses closed
“I know the COVID-19 outbreak has been difficult and has disrupted the lives of people across our state. Issuing a Safer at Home order isn’t something I thought we’d have to do and it’s not something I take lightly, but here’s the bottom line: folks need to start taking this seriously,” Wisconsin Gov. Tony Evers told WISN-TV. “Each and every one of us has to do our part to help slow the spread of COVID-19 so we can flatten the curve to ensure our doctors, nurses, and healthcare workers have the opportunity to do their important work. Let’s all do our part and work together.”
Under the order, which can be read in full here, Wisconsin residents are still able to:
- Maintain health and safety through essential tasks, such as picking up medicine or seeing a doctor.
- Visit the required places to obtain food and supplies for family members and pets in order to stay at home.
- Care for a family member in another household, including older adults, minors, dependents, those with disabilities and those who are vulnerable.
As of Tuesday, the state reported a total of 507 confirmed COVID-19 cases.