MILWAUKEE — The Milwaukee Health Department revised its COVID-19 order Monday, in which the city has placed additional restrictions on public gatherings, bars and restaurants, sports, and activities "that can play a role in the spread of the disease."
Most prominent in the revisions is a new capacity limit on public gatherings. Public gatherings are now capped at 25 percent of a location's total capacity. The revised order further requires a maximum number of 10 people allowed in an indoor location or 25 people in an outdoor location, not including employees.
People attending indoor events will be required to be seated.
Religious and political events are now limited to 100 people, who are also required to be seated.
For restaurants and bars without a COVID-19 plan approved by the city health department, capacities are now limited to 25 percent. All customers must be seated except when arriving, leaving or walking to restrooms. Dance floors are prohibited, according to the revised order.
Sports teams are now restricted to "intra-squad or intra-school events" unless the teams have a COVID-19 plan approved by the city health department. Such a plan must require the team's members be tested for coronavirus at least once every three days. If a team's COVID-19 plan was already submitted, it must be resubmitted with details relating to the new testing requirements, according to the revised city order.
Regarding public schools, movement between teaching models will be made by the city health department for each school.
The revised order will go into effect on Thursday, Oct. 29, 2020.
So far, two businesses in Milwaukee have been fined for breaking the COVID-19 order. Trinity Three Irish Pubs was fined $1,000 for not enforcing mask and social distancing requirements, and Fiesta Cafe was fined $1,500 for not enforcing mask, social distancing and capacity limits.
Last Thursday, Mayor Tom Barrett said that businesses breaking the local health order will no longer get a warning. Instead, they will receive a citation right off the bat. The health department has issued a total of 61 warnings to businesses for violating the COVID-19 order.
"This is the next step, the patient period is over. Now you're either complying or you're not complying. With a serious situation we're in it's appropriate to get more serious about enforcement and that's what we're going to do it," said Mayor Barrett.
Read the revised order below.