COVID-19 TIMELINE
March 12th - Governor Evers issued Executive Order #72 declaring a health emergency in response to COVID-19. This included:
-- Designating the DHS as the lead agency to respond to public health emergency
-- Suspending the provisions of any administrative rule if the Secretary of the DHS determines that compliance with that rule would increase the health threat
-- Authorizing the Wis National Guard as necessary and appropriate to assist the response to the public health emergency
-- Directing all state agencies to assist in the State’s response
-- Directing DATCP to prohibit price gauging.
March 24th, - Department of Health Services (DHS) Secretary Designee Andrea Palm issued the Safer at Home order to be in place until April 24th. The order outlined social distancing requirements, business activities and other suggestions and methods of preventing the spread of COVID-19 as the number of those affected in Wisconsin grew. The Administration also launched the COVID-19 PPE Program, a public-private partnership to increase lab testing, and a COVID-19 Volunteer Program to support the healthcare system.
April 16th - DHS Secretary Designee Palm extended the Safer at Home order until May 26th in order to continue to flatten the curve of COVID-19 cases in Wisconsin.
April 20th - Governor Evers announces the Badger Bounce Back Plan. This plan outlines the criteria for Wisconsin to be able to re-open the economy in phases and safely.
April 21st - Majority Republicans asked the state Supreme Court on Tuesday to block an extension of the DHS safer-at-home order, the most partisan divide yet in the fight against the coronavirus.
May 13th – Wisconsin Supreme Court overturned the Safer at Home Order extension.
May 14th – DHS prepares a framework for reopening and balancing efforts with the Safer at Home Order. State Representative Robin Vos rejects it immediately stating he feels people will make their own decisions without excessive government coercion.
May 19th - As coronavirus cases in Wisconsin neared 13,000 today, Gov. Tony Evers laid out a plan that calls for the state to spend $1billion dollars in federal aid to ramp up testing and contact tracing and support local health departments.
Cities and counties across the state were developing their own Safer at Home Policies but many dropped those plans following the Supreme Court ruling even though Attorney General Josh Kaul said state law grants local governments in Wisconsin power to declare a local emergency arising out of the pandemic and issue stay in place orders.
Wisconsin has no statewide plan currently. Even though 69% or 7 out of 10 residents support Safer at Home measures according to the most recent Marquette poll. (May 12) Many people are just not comfortable returning to pre-virus activities.
The good news is many cities are stepping up. Just to name a few - Green Bay is starting a Conservation Corps to employ laid off residents as part of their coronavirus relief plan. River Falls has developed Crushing COVID-19: A Guide to Recovery. Public Health Madison and Dane County Health reaffirmed Safer at Home and has just yesterday introduced has introduced The Forward Dane Plan to reopen the economy safely in phases.
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There will be more good news in the coming months regardless of partisan divide. We have seen amazing examples of community spirit so let’s build on that. Be responsible - ask neighbors, friends, and family to remember it’s not over and we all have to stick together to make sure we all come through this stronger and our communities are better prepared for the future.
