Eau Claire County COVID-19 Case and Local Health Order Updates

Thursday, May 28, 2020
Mike Rindo | Eau Claire COVID-19 Response Team

Eau Claire, WI - May 28, 2020 2:30 PM - The Eau Claire City-County Health Department continues to follow the coronavirus (COVID-19) situation as it develops. Testing for COVID-19 in Eau Claire County and around the state continues. The updated case count and testing numbers are below.

Information on cases that are considered recovered is now on our website.

On Wednesday, May 13th, the Wisconsin Supreme Court overturned the state's Safer at Home order. Though Safer at Home is no longer in place, the COVID-19 disease is still present in the Eau Claire community and poses a serious threat to public health. As a result, the Eau Claire City-County Health Department issued the COVID-19 Prevention and Control Order under the authority provided in Wis. Stat. § 252.03 on May 14, 2020.

Yesterday, a new order was issued that will go into effect at 12:00 am on Friday, May 29th. This order permits public gatherings of up to 20 people in outdoor spaces. Public gatherings are those planned events with a number of people in attendance that could strain the planning and response resources, including public health and community health care resources, of the community hosting the event, such as a concert, festival, conference, or sporting event.

Gatherings of any kind outside of a household unit shall exercise physical distancing and comply with all other requirements for public spaces and public buildings, found in section 2 of the order. New requirements for public gatherings include that organizers document contact information of attendees for contact tracing purposes, and actively screen and prevent attendance of individuals, including staff, volunteers, and attendees, who have symptoms of COVID-19.

All requirements and recommendations for individuals, businesses, public spaces, personal oneon-one services, and indoor public gatherings remain in effect. Including:

• Individuals are strongly encouraged to stay at home or their place of residence, minimize travel outside of the county, and keep their number of connections small
• Restrictions for both public spaces and public buildings, such as physical distancing and limitations on the number of people present at one time
• Public gatherings of more than 10 people in an indoor space are not permitted, but religious gatherings and other 1st Amendment-protected activities are exempt
• Elderly and vulnerable people are encouraged to take additional precautions
• Under this order, all businesses, facilities, playgrounds, campgrounds and other amenities may open and operate unless they are unable to meet and maintain the safety and protection measures outlined in the order
• Use of the WEDC guidance for business reopening by businesses that can meet the requirements of the order
• All people are strongly encouraged to continue maintaining physical distancing, good hand washing, covering coughs and sneezes, cleaning high-touch surfaces, not shaking hands, and follow other WI DHS and CDC recommendations

This order will be in effect until 11:59 PM on June 11, 2020. As we continue to monitor the COVID-19 pandemic and evaluate what is needed for the protection of our community members, subsequent orders may be issued that provide additional direction for protecting community health based on public health data and other indicators within our community. The health and safety of all community members remains our highest priority.

More information on the Eau Claire City-County Health Department COVID-19 Prevention and Control Order may be viewed here: https://coronavirus-and-covid-19-information-hubeccounty.hub.arcgis.com/pages/local-prevention

Data related to COVID-19 disease status and community preparedness is available here: https://coronavirus-and-covid-19-information-hub-eccounty.hub.arcgis.com/pages/localstatistics

Please visit the covid19eauclaire.org website for more information. Questions from the public may be directed to the COVID-19 Call Center: 715-831-7425.

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