MADISON, WI (WTAQ-WSAU) — Governor Tony Evers addressed Wisconsinites regarding the COVID-19 pandemic Tuesday evening. The speech began at 6:05 p.m. – or the 8:30 minute mark in the attached video.
Evers announced the signature of Executive Order #94 – which advises Wisconsinites to stay home to mitigate the spread of COVID-19 and save lives. He also asked residents to keep Thanksgiving, Christmas, and other holiday celebrations to only individuals within their households.
Executive Order #94 closely resembles last spring’s Safer at Home order, which encouraged residents to limit their contact with others by only leaving their homes for essential trips such as doctor’s appointments, going to class, grocery shopping, or picking up medication. He added that any trip outside of your home to pick up essentials should also include a face covering of some sort.
“Please wear a mask and stay six feet apart. Wearing a mask is not a political statement, it is a sign to co-workers or strangers that you pass in the grocery store that you care about them, and they care about you too.”
He warned that deaths could double to 5,000 by January without further action, saying “each day this virus goes unchecked is a setback for our economic recovery.”
Evers said in his address that the Supreme Court decision striking down the Safer at Home order over the summer has “hamstrung” his administration’s ability to control the virus. But he also made a call for unity.
“I know this year has been extremely difficult. I know [that] good news is hard to come by these days. But as I stand here tonight, I’ll tell you that I’m hopeful that we can beat this virus and we can rebuild and recover. Anybody would be a fool to count us out, Wisconsin,” he said. “The surges we see – the new cases, hospitalizations, and the deaths – these are not foregone conclusions. They are predictable and preventable. That means the fight against this virus is winnable. But only if we fight it together.”
Evers also announced plans to introduce a package of COVID-19 related legislation, which he expects to be quickly passed through the Legislature. Federal CARES Act funding expires on December 31st unless further extensions are granted.
Editor’s Note: This story has been updated to reflect the correct date that federal CARES funding is set to expire. A previous version cited an incorrect date.
(WSAU’s Mike Leischner contributed to this report)
