by Kevin Zimmermann
SHEBOYGAN COUNTY, WI (WHBL) – The total number of confirmed COVID-19 cases in Sheboygan County remained steady since Sunday at 44. Statewide, another 153 cases were added for a total of 4,499. 3 more in the county have recovered, leaving 12 cases active and, of those, 4 hospitalized. 30 have now recovered and 670 persons have tested negative for the coronavirus since testing began.
On Monday, Governor Evers announced the “Badger Bounce Back” plan, which outlines important criteria for Wisconsin to be able to reopen its economy in phases and includes steps to make sure workers and businesses are prepared to reopen as soon as it’s safe to do so. The Badger Bounce Back plan is informed in part by the President’s “Guidelines for Opening Up America Again” that was issued by the White House on April 16th, 2020. Currently, Wisconsin Does not meet the criteria the White House established to start reopening the state, but the Badger Bounce Back plan is intended to take steps to meet those requirements.
The so-called “Gating Criteria” to be met in order to begin allowing more interaction and return to work include:
1. Downward trajectory of influenza-like illnesses (ILI) reported within a 14-day period AND downward trajectory of COVID-19-like syndromic cases reported within a 14-day period.
2. Downward trajectory of positive tests as a percent of total tests within a 14-day period.
3. Hospitals must be able to treat all patients without crisis care AND have robust testing programs in place for at-risk healthcare workers, with decreasing numbers of infected healthcare workers.
Those metrics will be applied on a statewide basis (not by county) because, as stated in the Governor’s announcement: “…this highly infectious virus knows no county boundaries and can easily spread from regions with high prevalence to regions with low prevalence.”
Reopening would then occur in three phases as outlined in the Governor’s “Bounce Back”, also known as Executive Order #31.
Links to the Badger Bounce Back program were included with the Sheboygan County Division of Public Health’s daily update. All daily updates are available here: https://www.sheboygancounty.com/departments/departments-f-q/health-and-human-services/public-health/coronavirus-covid-19/daily-updates
