Wisconsin is heading into another state of emergency, Gov. Tony Evers announced Wednesday (November 18).
He also plans to issue another statewide mask mandate.
The new state of emergency will extend into 2021. The current order — as well as the order requiring face coverings — is set to expire Saturday (November 21), NBC15 reported Wednesday afternoon.
“We do not get any do overs here,” Evers said. “Enough games, we need you to join the cause and we need you to start today.”
“Call it what you want, flattening the curve, stopping the spread, staying safer at home,” he continued. “I’m going to call it what it is, it’s about saving lives.”
Everyone age 5 and up will have to wear a face covering, excluding when eating or drinking, when sleeping and other exceptions listed in the order.
Cities and states throughout the Midwest have been setting new restrictions for residents as COVID-19 cases surge and hospitalizations rise.
“The real barrier, though, is still staffing,” Emergency Medical Physician Dr. Jeff Pothof, of University of Wisconsin Health in Madison, recently told Reuters. “We’ve been able to scrape together teams, but a lot of it is really offering bonuses and getting people who are already working too hard to work even harder.”
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