MILWAUKEE — Milwaukee Mayor Tom Barrett has issued a statement that indicates he intends on keeping the city's safety measures in place indefinitely. The original Stay at Home for Milwaukee was declared on March 25.
This is in direct opposition to the State Supreme Courts Wednesday evening decision that Gov. Ever's statewide Safer at Home order was unconstitutional and that businesses could open immediately.
“The City of Milwaukee Health Department issued a public health order on March 25, 2020 to protect public health and reduce the spread of Covid-19. That order remains in effect, including all provisions on public gatherings, restaurants, and bar operations," Mayor Barrett said Wednesday night.
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The guidelines of the Mayor's original Stay at Home order said that all businesses not deemed essential had to close their doors.
"All individuals currently living within the City of Milwaukee (“City”) are ordered to stay at home or at their place of residence. To the extent individuals are using shared or outdoor spaces, they must at all times as reasonably possible maintain social distancing of at least six (6) feet from any other person when they are outside their residence. All persons may leave their residences only for Essential Activities, Essential Governmental Functions, or to operate Essential Businesses and Operations, all as defined below."
A specific deadline was never given either.
"This Order shall become effective at 12:01 a.m. on March 25, 2020 and will continue to be in effect until it is extended, rescinded, superseded ,or amended in writing by the Health Commissioner."
Essential businesses defined by the city include:
- Stores that sell groceries and medicine: This includes grocery stores, bakeries, pharmacies, farmers' markets, food banks, convenience stores and other stores that engage in the sale of canned food, dry goods, fruits, pet supply, fresh meats, alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages and more.
- Food and beverage production and agriculture: Food and beverage manufacturing, production, processing, cultivation, farming, livestock, fishing, baking and other production agriculture.
- Organizations that provide charitable and social services: Food banks, shelters and other social services.
- Media: Newspapers, television, radio and other media services.
- Gas stations and businesses needed for transportation: Gas stations, auto-supply stores, auto-repair and related facilities.
- Financial institutions and services: Banks, credit unions, and other financial service providers.
- Hardware and supply stores: Hardware stores and businesses that sell electrical, plumbing and heating material.
- Critical trades: Building and construction tradesmen and tradeswomen, plumbers, electricians, exterminators, cleaning and janitorial staff for for commercial and government properties and more.
- Mail, post, shipping, logistics, delivery and pick-up services: Post offices and other businesses that provide shipping and delivery services.
- Educational institutions: K-12 public, private and charter schools for non-instructional purposes, college and universities for purposes of facilitating distance learning.
- Laundry services
- Bars and restaurants for off-premise consumption
- Supplies to work from home
- Supplies for essential businesses and operations: Businesses that sell, manufacture and supply other essential business with the support they need to operate.
- Transportation: Airlines, taxis, transportation network providers (Uber, Lyft)
- Home-based care and services: Home-based care for seniors, adults or children
- Professional services: Legal and accounting services, insurance services, real estate
- Child care
- Funeral establishments
- Hotels and motels
- Manufacturers, distribution and supply chain for critical products and industries: Companies that produce and supply essential products and services for industries such as pharmaceutical, technology, biotechnology, healthcare, chemicals and sanitization and more.
- Religious entities: Religious facilities, entities
Dane County has issued a similar statement Wednesday night. It has instituted many similar measures to the original Safer At Home guidelines layed out by the governor.