Monday, July 31, 2023

Covid Chronicles. Chapter 64: Governor Evers Issues Statewide Mask Mandate


Read chapter 63 here


Friday, July 31, 2020 


Let the fireworks begin. Again. 

On Wednesday, Governor Tony Evers issued a statewide ordering requiring the wearing of masks in more public buildings, making Wisconsin the 33rd state to do so. The order goes into effect tomorrow. 

For weeks, Evers was hesitant to do so, as the state’s Supreme Court overruled his safer-at-home order in May. But the number of new cases during the month of the July has become too great for anyone concerned with public health and safety to ignore. In July, Wisconsin went from an average of 550 new cases per day during the first 7 days of the month to an average of 900 during the past 7 days. 

Currently, only four counties require masks in public places: Ashland, Bayfield, Door, and Dane. The first three are popular summer destinations that attract hordes of tourists and day-trippers from Memorial Day to the Labor Day weekends. This summer, of course, the number of visits are down but still large enough to give locals cause for concern and precaution. Among the state’s largest cities, only three – Green Bay, Milwaukee, and Racine – have mandated the wearing of masks. In the case of Green Bay and Racine, the resolutions passed by a single vote, some alders no doubt intimidated by the forceful protests of the anti-maskers 

At the state level, the initial reaction was relatively subdued. According to an article in the Capital Times, Assembly Speaker Robin Vos, the most powerful Republican in the state, offered an unusually measured response, sprinkled with a dash of gibberish.
Assembly Speaker Robin Vos said he anticipates a legal challenge from "citizen groups," but he didn't indicate whether he or Republicans would pursue action through the courts or legislation. 
“Local governments have been responding appropriately and increasing precautionary measures as needed," the Rochester Republican said. "But Wisconsin shouldn’t have a one-size-fits-all mandate. It doesn’t build public support when there are questions surrounding the metrics and the constitutionality of this mandate."

 So much for decorum and even-temperedness. On the State Senate side, Steve Nass, who represents a district in southeastern Wisconsin, threw a hissy fit. 



Nass’s gerrymandered district includes all of Walworth County (you might recall our trips to Lake Geneva during our Rockford visits in the 1960s) and portions of Kenosha, Waukesha, Jefferson, and Rock counties. Four of these counties rank in the top 10 of highest Covid positive test rate per 100,000 persons: Kenosha (#4), Walworth (#6, no doubt fueled by the weekend visits of Illinois residents escaping their lockdown), Waukesha (#8), and Rock (#9). Jefferson ranks 17th. In other words, he represents a district where counties and municipalities should be working together regionally to keep the virus in check. And the two easiest and most effective methods are wearing a mask and practicing social distancing. 


Unfortunately, Nass can get away with these regular tantrums as he represents a very red district. He generally wins his elections with 60-70% of the vote. In fact, he ran unopposed in 2018. Even the accompanying graph is unlikely to shake any sense into the majority of his constituents. Reliably Republican Waukesha County is now one of Wisconsin’s major hot spots. Since July 18th, the county’s public health department has reported 100 or more new Covid cases on 8 of 12 days.


Read chapter 65 here


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