COVID-19 DHS Media Briefing for 7/23/2020

Further cuts to UW budget, mask wearing is essential, no mask mandate at this time, though it is being considered, new financial aids for schools, new COVID cases are primarily younger people.

Who: 

• Governor Tony Evers
• Secretary-designee Andrea Palm, Wisconsin Department of Health Services 
• Dr. Ryan Westergaard, Chief Medical Officer of the Bureau of Communicable Diseases   
• Ryan Nilsestuen, Chief Legal Counsel, Office of the Governor

Governor Evers discusses the importance of mask wearing, and the recently-announced financial aid to schools for COVID-19 help. The governor again said that a state-wide mask mandate is under consideration but will not be announced now. He stated that a mask order would be legally difficult due to the previous State Supreme Court order. When asked if he would hesitate to pass a mask mandate if there were no concern that such an order would be challenged in court, Evers said, "No."

Evers also announced that as part of the budget reductions he is seeking for the upcoming year to adjust for COVID-19 revenue loss, the UW system will need to make further cuts.

Andrea Palm discussed the new numbers, and the shift of cases to young people. She also spoke about the issues of stress and anxiety during the pandemic. There has been a 117% increase in opioid overdoses during the current crisis.