In a move similar to that made by Minnesota's Governor on Monday, Wisconsin Governor Tony Evers calls for the closure of venues where groups of 10 or more people could gather in an effort to curb the spread of COVID-19.

The move, issued as Emergency Order #5, goes into effect at 5 pm on Tuesday, March 17. The order closes bars and restaurants for dine-in consumption of food and beverages, and includes closure of gathering places like schools, auditoriums, theaters, movie theaters, museums, stadiums, arenas, conference rooms, meeting halls, taverns, fitness centers, licensed pools, places of worship, and other similar places.

The order sets out the goal of limiting groups of 10 or more gathering in one place. As part of this, there is an allowance for food and beverage venues to remain open for delivery or take-out service only. Emphasized is the importance of employees maintaining social distancing and sanitary practices among coworkers and when making orders available to customers.

The order does offer exemptions for the following:

  • Airports
  • Educational institutions
  • Child care facilities
  • Hotels & motels
  • Government facilities
  • Relief facilities like food shelves and shelters
  • Residential buildings
  • Healthcare facilities
  • Facilities used for voting
  • Food establishments (following the delivery/take-out rules only)
  • Retail establishments/grocery stores (following proper guidelines)
  • Commercial and non-profit entities like office spaces, manufacturing facilities, processing and distribution centers, utility facilities, and job centers - under the guidelines of social distancing and cleanliness standards.

There are details related to each of these categories, which can be found in the full Emergency Order, here.

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