Contributed by the Monroe County Health Department
On May 13, the Wisconsin Supreme court struck down most of Gov. Evers’ Safer at Home order.
This ruling is complex. What we do know is that it did not strike down the portion of the Safer at Home order that closed schools for the rest of the 2019–2020 school year. As the state and counties work to understand the impact of the ruling, we want to deliver an important public health message.
The efforts directed at infection control that we have all been practicing the last two months were done to protect the health of our families, neighbors, and friends. The science is sound and has not changed. We know that the virus did not go away, change, or become less communicable because of a state Supreme Court ruling. As we go forward through the next days and weeks, the Monroe County Health Department will work with local partners and surrounding local health departments to consider what next steps will be needed to keep our community safe during this continued pandemic.
We know that Monroe County residents care about their families, neighbors, and community. Continuing to practice disease-prevention strategies is crucial and even more important now than ever. You can help by doing the following:
1. Staying home when ill
2. Maintaining a six-foot distance from others whenever possible
3. Wearing a mask in public to protect others
4. Washing your hands frequently with soap and water
5. Minimizing travel to areas considered “viral hot spots” within and beyond our state borders
6. Avoiding large gatherings
7. Getting tested if you have ANY one of the 12 symptoms of Covid-19
As we move into the summer months, the Monroe County Health Department will continue to monitor and investigate the transmission of Covid-19 within our jurisdiction. We will be especially concerned with upward trends in disease spread.
The Monroe County Health Department has every confidence that our community will do what is right, will sacrifice personal wants, and work together to make our community’s health the top priority.