On Thursday, June 04, 2020, Waukesha County Public Health expanded its large gathering recommendation to advise that up to 100 people may congregate in a social setting in the context of the COVID-19 outbreak. The previous recommendation advised that groups of up to 50 people could gather.
“Waukesha County is taking a measured approach to reopening so that we can stay safe to stay open,” said Waukesha County Executive Paul Farrow. “The decision to increase the large gathering recommendation is based on a methodical course of action knowing that positive cases in Waukesha County have remained stable, hospitals can safely treat all patients in the area, testing capacity has dramatically increased, and our team of public health nurses and contact tracers are growing.”
Waukesha County’s large gathering recommendation advises that social settings of more than 100 people be avoided, with social distancing and other mitigation practices in place. All individuals, when in public, at county parks, outdoor recreation areas, or at shopping malls or similar locations should consider maximizing physical distance from others. The large gathering guidance has been issued as a recommendation, rather than an order, to allow residents to safely conduct business and other activities moving forward. The recommendation provides industries with flexibility to resume operations while being mindful of CDC recommendations.
Waukesha County will reevaluate its large gathering recommendation toward the end of June. The recommended number of people that should socially gather may either increase or decrease based upon the status of area hospitals and other data. In the case of a dramatic increase in cases of COVID-19 in the county, or the inability of area hospitals to care for patients in need of treatment, the county may be forced to issue orders to help reduce the spread of the disease.
Information about Waukesha County’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic may be found on the county’s website www.waukeshacounty.gov/COVID19 and on social media accounts. Waukesha County is also offering resources for businesses and residents to mitigate the spread of COVID-19 through the “Stay Safe to Stay Open” campaign. More information is available at www.waukeshacounty.gov/safeopen.
You may follow County Executive Farrow on Twitter at @WaukeshaCoExecand on Facebook at www.facebook.com/CountyExecutivePaulFarrow/.