Wisconsin Extends Stay-at-Home Order Until May 26: Governor

Wisconsin Gov. Tony Evers speaks in Madison, Wis., on Feb. 6, 2020. (Steve Apps/Wisconsin State Journal via AP)

Wisconsin on Thursday extended its CCP virus stay-at-home order until May 26, the day after Memorial Day, and closed down its schools for the remainder of the academic year.

In announcing the measure, Gov. Tony Evers said the weekslong stay-at-home initiative has curbed the spread of the virus. The initial order was issued on March 25.

“We aren’t out of the woods just yet,” Evers said in a statement. “As I’ve said all along, we are going to rely on the science and public health experts to guide us through this challenge.”

He added that he is calling on Wisconsin residents to “continue doing the good work you’ve been doing so we can keep our families, our neighbors, and our communities safe, and get through this storm together.”

At the same time, Evers loosened restrictions on nonessential businesses, allowing them to make deliveries and offer curbside pickup.

It includes arts and crafts stores to sell material to produce face masks and personal protective equipment. Lawn care is also allowed as long as the work is done by one person, according to his order (pdf).

“Before we lift Safer at Home, the steps of testing and more robust public health measures must be in place,” state health Secretary Andrea Palm said in a statement. “These steps will help us reduce the risk of a second wave of the virus. If we open up too soon, we risk overwhelming our hospitals and requiring more drastic physical distancing measures again.”

Wisconsin has reported more than 3,700 positive cases, 1,000 hospitalizations and 182 deaths from the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) virus, a novel coronavirus, according to Johns Hopkins University.