Wisconsin Gov. Tony Evers (D) issued an order Thursday requiring all residents to cover their faces when in public as the number of COVID-19 cases increases across the state.
“While I know that emotions are high when it comes to covering your face in public, my job as governor is to put people first and do what’s best for the people of our state, so that’s what I’m going to do.” Evers said. in a sentence.
The order will take effect on Saturday and will expire on September 28 or by subsequent order.
The order requires Wisconsin residents ages 5 and older to wear a face covering when indoors or in an enclosed space around anyone outside their home.
The state also strongly encourages residents to cover their faces when outdoors and physical distance is not possible.
The order exempts people with health problems or disabilities that would prevent them from wearing a face covering.
In Wisconsin, 61 of the 72 counties, representing 96 percent of the state’s population, are experiencing high viral activity, an increase since June when only 19 of the state’s counties were experiencing high COVID-19 activity, according to Governor’s announcement.
“While our local health departments have been doing an excellent job responding to this pandemic in our communities, the fact is that this virus does not care about the boundaries of any town, city, or county, and we need a state approach to get back to channel Wisconsin, ”said Evers.
The average number of new confirmed cases has also increased throughout July. The state reported an average of 556 new cases each day between July 1 and July 7, then the average increased to 938 new cases each day between July 22 and July 26.
The Wisconsin health department reported 870 new confirmed cases of coronavirus on Wednesday, bringing the state total to 51,049 cases.
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