CITY OF MILWAUKEE – Milwaukee’s Department of Health says it will reduce capacity constraints for businesses next week as it reports an increase in COVID-19 cases in the city since last month.
The seven-day number of cases per 100,000 people now stands at 95.6 – a rate that the Department of Health defines as ‘material transfer’. The percentage of positive tests for coronavirus, according to a statement on Friday, also increased to 5 percent or ‘moderate transmission’.
Based on these negative trends, the department expects to change the public health order from phase 6 to phase 5 next week, including the reduction of capacity constraints. The department concedes that many businesses with approved safety plans may not be materially affected by the move.
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The department announced on Friday no details on where capacity constraints will be determined and for whom. But the criteria for the health department that sets COVID-19-related limits do recommend that the 25 percent capacity limits be recommended for businesses that do not have approved safety plans in the city in Phase 5. This also affects religious and entertainment establishments, retail, hotels and child care, including businesses.
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The trend is exacerbated by the increasing spread of COVID-19 variants, including the B.1.1.7 or the UK variant, which understands that it spreads faster and leads to worse symptoms.
The department said it is hopeful that the transition from Wisconsin to allowing someone 16 years or older to use the COVID-19 vaccine this week will help push back the growing number of COVID-19 cases. For the first time, the supply of vaccines is ‘sufficient’ to meet demand at the vaccination home in downtown Wisconsin and through community establishments in the city through FEMA, the Milwaukee Department of Health said.
Phase 6 for public health order went into effect on March 18, enabling the following:
- Restaurants and bars will have an increase in the possible capacity and alleviate the restrictions on the movement of patrons within the institution. While seating should be available and encouraged, it is no longer necessary unless a patron eats or drinks.
- Museums can be open with capacity constraints and safeguards, including masking.
- Sporting events and leisure activities may now be attended by up to six spectators per participant, with a limit of 750 fans indoors or 1,000 fans outdoors, provided physical distance is available. An approved safety plan can allow larger crowds.
- The order no longer restricts visitors to long-term care facilities.
Some of these improvements, especially those related to capacity constraints, are expected to change now.
Since the end of March, however, the Milwaukee Department of Health has expressed concern in a number of statements about the emergence of cases and the spread of the variants.
The city’s mask mandate remains in force, although the state-wide version was rejected by the state’s high court last week.
Milwaukee Department of Health Commissioner Kirsten Johnson described the following trends in the statement on Friday:
‘It seems counter-intuitive. By the time vaccinations are available and everyone is aware of safe practices, COVID-19 infection rates should drop. That is not the case. The presence of newer, easily transferable COVID variants is probably the culprit; another factor is COVID fatigue. With the finish line in sight, we all need to take reasonable precautions to limit the spread of the virus. ”
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