COVID-19 Community Updates

This page is designed for updates regarding the COVID-19 coronavirus and it's impact on the Whitewater community. The City of Whitewater continues to monitor regional, state and federal information and is taking steps to comply with best practices and direction provided by public health officials.

Governor Evers Issues Statewide Mandatory Mask Ordinance

  1. State of WI Emergency Order EMO01-Face Coverings
  2. State Of WI Face Covering FAQ

Gov. Evers Issues Stay-at-Home Recommendations Executive Order #94- November 10, 2020

Executive Order #94 Stay-at-Home Recommendations

Gov. Evers Directs Department of Health Services to Limit Indoor Public Gatherings

Press Release Gov. Evers Directs DHS to Limit Indoor Public Gatherings

Message from the City Manager

To the Local Business Community- July 10, 2020

Whitewater Ordinance for Face Masks

Whitewater Face Mask Ordinance July 24, 2020

Whitewater COVID-19 Information Line

262-473-1398

Reference Materials for Restaurant & Tavern Owners 

The following information may be helpful for restaurant and tavern owners to navigate the mask ordinance and expand outside eating areas:

WI Restaurant Association Reopening Resources

Resolution Delegating Food-Alcohol Regulatory Authority to City Staff

Original Alcohol Beverage Retail License Application - Contact the City Clerk for more information

Application for Outdoor Private Property Cafe Permit - Contact Neighborhood Services for more information

Application for Sidewalk Cafe Permit - Contact Neighborhood Services for more information

Whitewater Cares Poster

Important Links

The following are links to valuable COVID-19 information and business assistance programs.

Links from June 4, 2020 Town Hall Meeting

COVID-19 Data & Statistics

COVID-19 statistics for Walworth, Jefferson, and Rock Counties are updated daily. Visit the following web pages to view the data for yourself:

  Walworth County Jefferson County Rock County
Positive Tests (Confirmed) Cases 8,118 7,066 12,847
Negative Tests 37,247 32,226 66,173
Cases Recovered 7,663 5,165 11,803
Deaths 105 60 122

Currently Hospitalized and Isolating at Home data have been removed from the table above. This is due to changes in how the data is collected on the county Public Health department's websites. 

Sources:

Wisconsin DHS County-Level Data – Number of positive cases and deaths by county (https://www.dhs.wisconsin.gov/covid-19/county.htm)
Wisconsin Summary Data (https://www.dhs.wisconsin.gov/covid-19/data.htm)
County-Level Data (https://www.dhs.wisconsin.gov/covid-19/county.htm)
Mapped Cases by County (https://www.dhs.wisconsin.gov/covid-19/cases-map.htm)
Walworth County Division of Public Health – COVID-19 page (https://www.co.walworth.wi.us/856/COVID-19)
Walworth County COVID Response Hub (https://coronavirus-response-walworth-county-1-walco.hub.arcgis.com/)
Jefferson County – COVID-19 Dashboard (https://sites.google.com/view/jeffersoncountywicovid-19/home)
Rock County COVID-19 Data (https://infogram.com/1pv009gnlnrrprixvvk7j1x9wnfr7v1nkn1?live)

January 11, 2020- Key COVID-19 Updates for the Whitewater Community

Key Walworth County Updates

Vaccination

  • Vaccine is not yet available to the general public. Walworth County must follow the state mandated phases for vaccination. Please be patient as we work through the phases.
  • If you are a medical worker or volunteer for a Walworth County organization and meet the classification for Phase 1A, please review the following guidance:
    • Check with your organization’s healthcare system about vaccine availability
    • If you are not affiliated with a healthcare system that is able to vaccinate, Walworth County Public Health may be able to provide you with a vaccine or match you with another vaccinator.
    • Individuals should  fill out the COVID-19 Phase 1A Vaccine Registration here.
    • If you are an employer wanting to register your organization, everyone within the organization will need to complete their own registration by completing the COVID-19 Phase 1A Vaccine Registration above.
  • Questions about the registration process may be directed to walcoph@co.walworth.wi.us 
  • DHS today announced police and fire are eligible to receive COVID-19 vaccine beginning on 1/18. As emergency medical responders in our community Mercyhealth and Advocate Aurora have already begun vaccinating this population. 
  • This was the first week in Wisconsin that more doses of vaccine were requested by vaccinators than vaccine available. 

Other Updates

  • The Center for Dignity in Healthcare for People with Disabilities has developed a social story about getting a COVID-19 vaccine. This is geared toward helping people with developmental disabilities have a better understanding of the COVID-19 vaccine.

Frequently Asked Questions:

Where can I direct members of the public with general vaccine questions?

Will Walworth County be tracking and publishing data on the number of people  vaccinated within the County?

  • Yes. Public Health can access information on the number of people who reside in the County that have received the COVID-19 vaccine via the Wisconsin Immunization Registry. As we continue to work to provide relevant and transparent information on the COVID-19 recovery we will be looking at how this information can best be communicated to the public. 

January 7, 2020- Key COVID-19 Updates for the Whitewater Community

Key Walworth County Updates

  • This week's COVID-19 data snapshot: COVID Snapshot 1_7_2021
  • DHS COVID-19 vaccine media briefings are available  at https://www.youtube.com/user/dhswi.
  • Wisconsin Institute for Public Policy and Service (WIPPS) Research Partners are recruiting middle and high school students to engage in discussions about how they are coping during COVID-19. Please share their flyer or visit the WIPPS website for more details.
  • Thanks to our health care partners, Mercyhealth and Advocate Aurora, COVID-19 vaccination of first responders in Walworth County will begin late this week and continue into next week. 

Q&A from WI-DHS

When will vaccine be available to the general public and how will it be administered?

  • It will likely take several months before we are able to provide widespread vaccinations in Wisconsin. Once the vaccine is available for the general public, there will be a number of ways to receive it including, through a doctor’s office visit, at local pharmacies, local and tribal health departments, community based clinics, and mobile vaccination sites. We are committed to ensuring that the COVID-19 vaccine is accessible to all Wisconsinites through planning, distribution, and ongoing partnership with our local, state, and federal partners.
  • The DHS website now has a  frequently asked questions for COVID-19 vaccine stakeholders, which is part of the DHS COVID-19 vaccination web resources. 

How is COVID-19 vaccine being allocated in Wisconsin?

  1. Fill partial vaccine orders, where applicable. This ensures that everyone who applies to get vaccine will get some, instead of only a few entities.
  2. Vaccine should be administered in the shortest possible time after receipt by vaccinating entity.
  3. Give greater priority to vaccinating entities who will administer vaccine in communities characterized by higher levels of social vulnerability. 
  4. Give greater priority to vaccinating entities who will vaccinate unaffiliated healthcare providers such as emergency medical responders.

January 4, 2020- Key COVID-19 Updates for the Whitewater Community

Key Walworth County Updates

  • The Wisconsin Department of Health Services has launched a COVID-19 Vaccination data page. 
  • A few variant strains of COVID-19 have been detected. DHS is currently collecting information on these variants. Find out more on this topic from CDC here.

December 30, 2020- Key COVID-19 Updates for the Whitewater Community

Key Walworth County Updates

  • This week's COVID-19 data snapshot: COVID Snapshot 12_30_2020.
  • The Wisconsin Department of Health Services (DHS) launched its new COVID-19 vaccine data page yesterday. Data shown includes summary metrics for allocation, shipment, and total vaccine administered, as well as a graph displaying the number of vaccinations administered per day. DHS plans to update these visualizations at 2 p.m. every Tuesday.
  • Walworth County Public Health has a COVID-19 Vaccine Information page on our website. This page will be frequently updated as more information becomes available.

Walworth County Public Health recognizes the unprecedented challenges and selfless sacrifices that our community, schools, and business have made throughout 2020 as a result of the pandemic. We appreciate our community's support and partnership during this past year - Happy New Year!

 

December 23, 2020- Key COVID-19 Updates for the Whitewater Community

Key Walworth County Updates

December 21, 2020- Key COVID-19 Updates for the Whitewater Community

Key Walworth County Updates

Vaccination

  • Vaccination Talking Points
    • COVID-19 vaccine supply is limited right now; but WI expects to receive additional supply in coming weeks. 
    • Vaccine is currently targeted to frontline health care workers and residents of long term care facilities. It will take a few months to get this group vaccinated. (COVID-19 Vaccine Distribution Phases graphic)
    • We ask for your patience as we work together to get to a point where everyone who wants a vaccine has access to a vaccine.  
    • It will take time for the community to reach herd immunity. In the meantime we need to use all of the tools we have to continue to slow the spread; stay home when sick, socially distance, limit gathering size, wear a face mask, and wash your hands regularly. (All the Tools graphic)
  • Individuals interested in volunteering to assist with vaccination efforts should register for the Walworth County MRC via the Wisconsin Emergency Assistance Volunteer Registry (WEAVR). Volunteer contact will occur through this system should volunteers be needed (Be a Hero MRC flyer). 

Other Updates

December 17, 2020- Key COVID-19 Updates for the Whitewater Community

Key Walworth County Updates

FAQs from DHS

If someone has had COVID-19, do the antibodies disappear after a certain amount of time? 

  • The answer, unfortunately, is complex and somewhat unsatisfying. It appears that in many people, the antibody produced in response to an infection depends upon how sick an individual was and also tends to decline with time.  We cannot predict in whom or how fast this decline will occur.  In addition, the antibody tests are far less than perfect and provide false positive results (indicating exposure when there has been none) and false negative (indicating no exposure when someone has actually been infected).  In general, most people will make antibody, but this will decline over time.  We are working to discover the rate to which this decline occurs. - Jonathan L. Temte, MD/PhD, Associate Dean for Public Health and Community Engagement, University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health UW COVID questions

December 15, 2020- Key COVID-19 Updates for the Whitewater Community

Key Walworth County Updates

Testing

  • UW Whitewater Surge Testing Update:
    • Testing will continue through January 22, 2021
    • Monday-Friday 10am-6pm
    • Closed 12/23/2020-01/03/2021
    • Register online at www.doineedacovid19test.com
  • Find current Walworth County testing information and flyers on our website, under the Testing tab.

Vaccination

Data

 

FAQs from DHS:

Where can I direct members of the public with general vaccine questions?

DHS has created a general inquiry inbox for the public to use to send in COVID-19 vaccine questions: DHSCOVIDVaccinePublic@wi.gov. Additionally, there is the DHS COVID-19 Vaccine page, which contains some commonly asked questions.

Health care providers and vaccinators should continue to submit their questions to DHSCOVIDVaccinator@wi.gov and refer to the DHS COVID-19 Vaccinator page for information.

December 11, 2020- Key COVID-19 Updates for the Whitewater Community

Key Walworth County Updates

The following are flyers for COVID-19 testing locations:

You can also find a daily calendar of testing information for December on the County website

December 10, 2020- Key COVID-19 Updates for the Whitewater Community

Key Walworth County Updates

Testing

  • Based on current information the Wisconsin National Guard testing site at the County Fair Grounds ended this week. We are awaiting approval for extension of this testing site possibly beginning in January. If the site is continued through December we will provide information once that is confirmed. 
  • Open Arms Free Clinic will be providing a community COVID-19 testing site at the fair grounds for the next few weeks to ensure that we have adequate access to testing for our community over the holidays. A testing flyer is attached. 
  • Covenant Harbor’s testing site continues through December.
  • UW-W Surge Testing will continue. Visit www.doineedacovid19test.com to register for an appointment. 

Data

  • WI DHS has launched a COVID-19 Wastewater Surveillance Dashboard. 
    • Wastewater surveillance may allow an increase in COVID-19 cases to be detected as early as a week before a rise in cases from clinical testing is detected
    • View the press release HERE.
    • New map views from the Wisconsin Department of Health Services have been added as a tab to the Walworth County COVID-19 Community Data Dashboard. A variety of metrics can now be viewed on a county, city, school district, and zip code geographic level.

Vaccination

  • View the WI DHS update on COVID-19 Vaccination HERE.
  •  DHS has launched a new webpage with important information and answers to common questions about the flu and the flu vaccine. The webpage also includes a link to the Vaccine Finder, so people can find where the vaccine is available near them. In addition, DHS has also created a “Be an InFLUencer” fact sheet with data and other details about preventing flu.
  • AdvocateAurora will be hosting a town hall meeting on 12/16 at noon where their leading infectious disease specialist, Dr. Rob Citronberg, will answer questions about the COVID-19 vaccine. RSVP as going to get a notification to watch live via Facebook: https://fb.me/e/10nTOCaBP 

December 7, 2020- Key COVID-19 Updates for the Whitewater Community

Key Walworth County Updates

December 4, 2020- Key COVID-19 Updates for the Whitewater Community

Key Walworth County Updates

November 30, 2020- Key COVID-19 Updates for the Whitewater Community

Key Walworth County Updates

November 23, 2020- Key COVID-19 Updates for the Whitewater Community

Key Walworth County Updates

  • With Thanksgiving coming up later this week, consider ways to safely celebrate the holiday season. If celebrating in person with individuals outside of your household we recommend keeping your gathering small and practicing physical distancing as much as possible. Below are some helpful resources to plan your holiday. Resources that will be available on the HHS Facebook page are also attached and may be shared. 
  • COVID-19 testing through the National Guard for Walworth County moved to the Walworth County Fair Grounds on 11/24. Public Health continues to coordinate with community partners with the goal of helping them establish testing sites at other locations beginning in December.
  • Vaccination planning continues. There is still much unknown about the vaccination process and when Walworth County will receive vaccine, as well as what priority groups will be targeted for vaccination in the first phase.

November 19, 2020- Key COVID-19 Updates for the Whitewater Community

Key Walworth County Updates

FAQs from the Wisconsin Department of Health Services

Is there a brief list of ways people can make safer choices about planning or participating in holiday gatherings?

Ideas to celebrate more safely

  • Share a meal with only the people who live in your household.
  • Prepare meals and treats in a way that doesn't involve contact, this can be a great way to safely share the holidays with family, friends, and neighbors, especially those at higher risk of severe illness from COVID-19.
  • Have a virtual dinner with friends and family. Consider virtually connecting while you cook, while you eat, or both.
  • Shop online rather than in person.
  • Watch sports events, parades, and movies from home.

Make safe choices

  • Avoid travel. Travel increases your chance of getting and spreading the virus that causes COVID-19.
  • Be mindful that a COVID-19 test only shows if you have COVID-19 at the moment of your test. If you have been exposed to someone with COVID-19, it can take up to 14 days to develop symptoms or test positive.
  • Stay home as much as possible.
  • Wear a mask when you are in public or in a place with people outside of your household. 
  • Maintain at least 6 feet of physical distance between yourself and others who don't live with you. 
  • Wash your hands frequently.

November 16, 2020- Key COVID-19 Updates for the Whitewater Community

Key Walworth County Updates

FAQs from the Wisconsin Department of Health Services

Do people who have previously tested positive for COVID-19 need to quarantine or get tested if they come into close contact with someone who is infected with COVID-19?

  • People who have tested positive for COVID-19 do not need to quarantine or get tested again if they are a close contact of another person that tests positive for up to 3 months after initially testing positive, as long as they do not develop symptoms again. If they develop symptoms, they should isolate and contact a health care provider to discuss whether they should be retested.

November 12, 2020- Key COVID-19 Updates for Whitewater

Key Walworth County Updates

  • Walworth County continues to experience high levels of demand for testing at the community site. Free community testing for COVID-19 is also available at UW-Whitewater 5 days a week. People may register for a test appointment at UWW by visiting www.doineedacovid19test.com Up to 500 antigen tests are available each day at this site. 
  • Walworth County continues to see an increasing positive test rate. Additionally many of our partner organizations are experiencing staffing shortages as staff become ill or exposed. We kindly request everyone encourage others to limit unnecessary trips and practice physical distancing as much as practical.  Remember a negative test today doesn’t mean you won’t contract coronavirus tomorrow and is not a way to get out of quarantine early. 
  • The WI-DHS has added additional data to their the Disease Activity Dashboard including a category of “critically high” and information on probable cases by County.
  • Information about becoming a COVID-19 Vaccination site and the enrollment process can be found on this page. Including an FAQ on what it means to be a vaccination site and who should enroll. 
  • Are you following the Walworth County HHS Facebook Page. Check us out for infographics and more to share with your partners and customers. 

November 9, 2020- Key COVID-19 Updates for the Whitewater Community

Key Walworth County Updates

WI DHS FAQ

When someone cannot wear a face covering due to being in the group of people the CDC recommends not to wear a mask, how could this person visit their loved ones as safely as possible?

  1. Maintain physical distance in a well-ventilated room
  2. In addition to physical distancing, other protective measures include: 
    • Wear face shields
    • Use clear physical barriers, such as a Plexiglas barrier on a table  

According to the CDC, face coverings should not be worn by:

  • Children younger than 2 years old
  • Anyone who has trouble breathing
  • Anyone who is unconscious, incapacitated, or otherwise unable to remove the covering without assistance

November 5, 2020- Key COVID-19 Updates for the Whitewater Community

Key Walworth County Updates

  • Due to technical difficulties, the Walworth County COVID-19 Dashboard has not been updated since 11/3. Walworth County will be postponing the weekly COVID-19 Data Snapshot posted to Facebook and our website every Thursday until tomorrow, Friday 11/6. We are working to fix this problem as soon as possible. 
  • Through the hard work of our Public Health Specialists and Walworth County IT the Walworth County COVID-19 School District Data Dashboard is now publicly available on our website. This dashboard is updated Tuesdays & Fridays with the most recent COVID-19 data of all cases located within school district geographic boundaries. Walworth County Public Health has been working closely with school administrators and sharing this data with them since the beginning of the school year. This information does not look solely at cases of students/staff within districts, but instead all Walworth County residents within district boundaries and should not be used in isolation to determine COVID-19 status relating to a district. 
  • The Walworth County COVID-19 Key Indicators have been updated today (11/5/20) on the website. 
  • UW-Whitewater Community Antigen Testing starts on 11/9: As a part of the UW System surge testing program UW-Whitewater is hosting community testing. This test is a self-collection antigen test designed to screen individuals. Based on results a PCR test may be collected. Free COVID-19 Testing flyer. View more information here: https://www.uww.edu/warhawks-return/testing
  •  The following are updated multi-testing county flyers highlighting all of the reoccurring testing sites in our surrounding communities. Multi-County Community Testing English and Multi-County Community Testing Spanish
  • Public Health, AdvocateAurora, and Mercyhealth hosted a town hall meeting on Healthy Schools during COVID-19. The recording of the town hall may be viewed here: https://bit.ly/2TUPHzN  Passcode is: L+.8Mz&a 

WI-DHS Q&A on Quarantine

Why do people quarantine?

When someone is exposed to COVID-19, they must quarantine for 14 days. Exposure includes the following types of contact or closeness with someone who is infected: having direct physical contact (such as a handshake or hug), being within 6 feet for at least 15 minutes within a 24-hour period, coming into contact with the person’s respiratory secretions (including being coughed or sneezed on, touching a used tissue, sharing personal items), and staying overnight at the person’s home. The purpose of staying home and not being around other people (e.g., not going to work, not seeing people socially, not running errands, etc.) is to stop the spread in case the person who was exposed to COVID-19 becomes infected.

What if we were wearing PPE?

Personal protective equipment (PPE) must be fitted to the individual, and people in health care settings are trained to properly put on and take off PPE. Only medical-grade PPE, worn by individuals trained in its use, is considered able to reduce the risk of transmission sufficiently to make quarantine unnecessary in the event of close contact with a person known to have COVID-19. Everyone else must quarantine for 14 days, regardless of the use of PPE. 

If I test negative for COVID-19, can my quarantine end before 14 days?

No. It can take up to 14 days after exposure before an infection develops, so a negative test does not change the quarantine end date.

Are there any exceptions when someone could be exempt from quarantine?

On a case-by-case basis, health care* and public safety workers who have been exposed to COVID-19 may, under certain circumstances, be approved to break quarantine to go to work when there is a compelling health or safety reason. Please note, the exception is only to go to work, not to buy groceries, engage in social activities, etc. Quarantining is one of the best tools we currently have to stop the spread of COVID-19. While the U.S. Department of Homeland Security issued guidance indicating workers in a broad range of “critical infrastructure” sectors may be exempted from quarantine, DHS recommends that all individuals and workers quarantine for 14 days, with the exception above. 

*Note: health care workers include anyone involved in direct patient care (e.g., nurses, nursing assistants, technicians, physicians, phlebotomists), as well as those not directly involved in patient care but who could be exposed (e.g., environmental services). Health care workers include personnel working in hospitals, outpatient medical clinics, long-term care, and assisted living residential facilities.

November 2, 2020- Key COVID-19 Updates for the Whitewater Community

Key Walworth County Updates:

  • Due to the growing number of COVID-19 cases in Walworth County, Walworth County Public Health has implemented Crisis Standards of Practice for notification and contact tracing. Effective Friday, October 30th, we will prioritize contacting positive cases who are age 60 and older and children who are 18 years old and younger. All other individuals will be contacted as capacity allows. View the press release here for more information. Help promote resources for notifying your close contacts by sharing the information available from DHS here.
  • Walworth County has complied a list of the COVID-19 testing locations in our neighboring counties. Please share with anyone looking for testing resources. We will do our best to keep this updated, but residents should be encouraged to verify times and locations before going to a site as alterations may be made by the locations as necessary. Multi-County Community COVID-19 Testing flyer
  • Election Day is Tuesday, November 3rd, it’s important to remember that many of our normal voting practices may be altered. Below are resources for communicating about safe voting during COVID-19:

October 26, 2020- Key COVID-19 Updates for the Whitewater Community

Key Walworth County Updates:

  • Walworth County reoccurring community COVID-19 test site starts tomorrow at Lakeland Community Church. Flyer COVID-19 Testing Lakeland Community Church - English and Flyer COVID-19 Testing Lakeland Community Church - Spanish
  • After completing 500 tests in under one week, Open Arms Free Clinic has completed their contract and has closed for community testing. As a valued partner in our community they will be working with Public Health to help provide testing upon referral by Public Health for outbreak management. 
  • The Walworth County Case Data Dashboard is now available on mobile!  View this and the desktop version of the dashboard on our County HUB site. Visit the dashboard for the most up to date data.
  • CDC Updates Definition of Close Contact 
    • Note: CDC's update does not change recommendations for Wisconsin. Public health guidance in Wisconsin has included "single encounter of more than 15 minutes OR multiple encounters with a single day adding up to more than 15 minutes" in the definition of close contact for several months. See also: Contact Risk Assessment Flowchart on PCA Portal COVID-19 Resources under "Case Investigations Toolkit"
    • CDC’s definition of a close contact shifts from someone who spent at least 15 minutes within 6 feet of a confirmed case to someone who was within 6 feet of an infected person for a total of 15 minutes or more over a 24-hour period.

October 23, 2020- Key COVID-19 Updates for the Whitewater Community

Key Walworth County Updates:

  • Following the Wisconsin Electronic Disease Surveillance System (WEDSS) update over the weekend Public Health needed to move into Crisis standards for contact tracing to ensure high priority contacts and disease incidents were contacted promptly. As of today we have moved out of crisis standards and are back performing full close contact notification.
  • A community testing site will begin at Lakeland Community Church on Tuesday 10/27. The site is open to the public and will operate Tuesdays from 9a-5p through December 10, 2020. COVID-19 Testing Lakeland Community Church English flyer. A Spanish version of this flyer will be available early next week.
  • Regional testing sites are available. COVID-19 Testing Racine-Kenosha-Walworth English/Spanish flyer
  • This week’s COVID-19 Data Snapshot. Remember you can find the metrics published here updated daily on the County’s COVID-19 data dashboard key indicator tab.
  • Tellyourcontacts.org is a free service that individuals who test positive for COVID-19 can use to anonymously tell their contacts they may have been exposed
  • Updated: Public Gatherings Limit FAQhas been updated with information about indoor spaces that are exempt from the order. 
    • Grocery stores have now been added as an exempt indoor space under “public infrastructure”.

October 19, 2020- Key COVID-19 Updates for the Whitewater Community

COVID TESTINGCOVID TESTING Spanish 

October 19, 2020- Key COVID-19 Updates for the Whitewater Community

Key Walworth County Updates

  • Public Health continues to work through the changes in our data analysis due to the WEDSS update. Data this week may be delayed or appear skewed. 
  • Walworth County Public Health is hosting a flu shot clinic for children & teens on Saturday, Oct. 24th from 8-11:00am. Please see the attached flyer for more information. This year it is extra important to get your flu shot to prevent our hospitals from being overburdened. 

Say Boo to the Flu (English)

Say Boo to the Flu (Spanish)

October 16, 2020- Key COVID-19 Updates for the Whitewater Community

Key Walworth County Updates

  • This week’s Walworth County COVID-19 Data Snapshot: COVID SnapShot 10-15-2020
  • A change in the way we calculate active and recovered cases has been performed. The data guru’s in public health have identified methods to make this reporting more accurate. This change will slightly alter the recovered case number resulting in a decrease on the graph on the data dashboard. However, this will make the data more accurate as we move forward.  
  • The Wisconsin Electronic Disease Surveillance System (WEDSS) will be undergoing routine maintenance Friday October 16, 2020, through Sunday, October 18, 2020. Walworth County Public Health will not be contacting any positive cases or contacts during the system upgrade and will resume contact on Monday, October 19th. Individuals who are awaiting test results should stay home, isolate away from other individuals, and monitor for symptoms. The Walworth County Data Dashboard will not be updated on Monday, October 19th and will resume normal updates on Tuesday, October 20th. 
  • Times are stressful and COVID is certainly having an impact on mental health throughout our communities.  Annually in October Walworth County has a suicide awareness and prevention walk. This year’s will look a bit different. The Walworth County Out of Darkness Experience will be occurring on 10/24/2020. Find more information here: https://afsp.donordrive.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=donordrive.event&eventID=6931  
  • Looking for resources for safe holiday celebrations: https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/daily-life-coping/holidays.html 
  • Today, Oct. 15th, is Global Handwashing Day. Hand hygiene is one of the best ways to protect yourself and your family from getting sick. The CDC has several resources to promote handwashing.

From the Health Officer:

Since March of 2020 Walworth County Public Health staff have managed more than 30,000 COVID-19 test results and 111 COVID-19 outbreaks, this is thousands more communicable disease reports than are typically seen in this county in a year, let alone 7 months. If you interact with a local public health employee please give them your thanks; be they from Walworth County or anywhere else in the state. Their work is difficult and often underappreciated. They’ve maintained dignity and grace in very trying times.  Thank you local public health staff.

Respectfully,

Erica Bergstrom, MPH
Health Officer
Walworth County Department of Health and Human Services
Division of Public Health
1910 County Road NN, PO Box 1005, Elkhorn, WI 53121
Office: (262) 741-3200
Fax: (262) 741-3757

October 12, 2020- Key COVID-19 Updates for the Whitewater Community

Key Walworth County Updates

Walworth County Public Health is hosted a virtual town hall in partnership with Advocate Aurora Health and Mercyhealth, ‘Healthy Schools During COVID-19’ on Tuesday, Oct. 13th at 5pm. Visit https://www.co.walworth.wi.us/885/Virtual-Town-Halls to learn more.

October 8, 2020- Key COVID-19 Updates for the Whitewater Community

Key Walworth County Updates

  • Gov. Evers Directs Department of Health Services to Limit Indoor Public Gatherings 
  • This week’s Walworth County COVID-19 Data Snapshot is attached.
  • An update to the Wisconsin Electronic Disease Surveillance System (WEDSS) will occur 10/16-10/18. This update will impact our ability to complete contact tracing over that weekend and will result in anomalies in our data. These data abnormalities are not expected to last more than a week but we want to encourage caution when viewing the data during the week immediately following the update. At this time we are not sure of the full impact of the update on our data monitoring and reporting. More information will be shared as available.

Message from Sheriff Picknell

“I have reviewed the emergency order and spoke with the District Attorney along with Walworth County Health and Human Services Public Health. The District Attorney advised that Wisconsin Statute 252.25, the statute permitting enforcement of the order, does not allow citations to be issued against businesses.  Businesses are free to set their own public health restrictions on the number of people who enter or gather within their business and they may deny entry or service to people refusing to follow the business’s restrictions.  

Walworth County Public Health will continue to partner with the Sheriff’s Office to track concerns and implement appropriate Public Health responses. Our Health and Human Services website https://www.co.walworth.wi.us/FormCenter/Public-Health-Division-4/Mask-Mandate-Compliance-Concern-58 offers an opportunity for the community to report concerns directly to the Public Health Department.  This website https://www.co.walworth.wi.us/856/COVID-19also houses the recently updated Phased Guidance document that provides clear strategies for individuals and businesses.”

September 28, 2020- Key COVID-19 Updates for the Whitewater Community

Key Walworth County Updates

  • Community Testing:
  • Walworth County is hosting a community COVID-19 testing site on Sept. 29th & 30th 10am-6pm at the Walworth County Fairgrounds. Testing information

FAQs:

Should employers notify other employees if they learn about a COVID-19 case in the workplace?

If an employer learns that a worker is confirmed to be infected with COVID-19, the employer should inform fellow workers who were in close contact with the individual that they were possibly exposed to COVID-19 in the workplace. Employers must maintain the confidentiality of the infected individual, as required by the Americans with Disabilities Act. In addition, employers must report the case to their local or tribal health department (LTHD) and follow guidance from the LTHD.

“Close contact” is defined as:

  • Anyone who was within six feet of a person who tested positive for at least 15 minutes in a 24-hour period, starting from
  • Two days before the individual developed symptoms.
  • Two days before their positive test, if the individual did not have symptoms. 
  •  Or someone who
  • Had direct physical contact with the person who tested positive, including but not limited to a hug or a handshake.
  • Came into contact with the person’s respiratory secretions, including but not limited to exposure to cough or sneeze droplets; contact with a used tissue; or sharing a drinking glass, towel, or other personal item.

September 24, 2020- Key COVID-19 Updates for the Whitewater Community

Key Walworth County Updates

Walworth County COVID-19 Snap Shot

FAQs:

How can you avoid exposure when living with someone diagnosed with COVID-19?

If someone in your household has been diagnosed with COVID-19, there are precautions you can take to avoid exposure so you and others can stay healthy.

  • Limit Contact - avoid physical contact with the diagnosed person or their respiratory droplets and avoid sharing personal items
  • Wear Mask and Gloves - if physical distancing is not possible, it is important to wear a mask when around the diagnosed person. Gloves are recommended when cleaning and disinfecting areas and objects used by an infected person.
  • Clean and Disinfect - clean hands with soap and water or hand sanitizer, clean and disinfect "high touch" areas, and clean and disinfect any areas the diagnosed person came into contact with
  • Track Your Own Health - household members should stay home and quarantine and check for symptoms including cough, fever, and shortness of breath

These precautions are detailed in the DHS How to Avoid Exposure When Living with Someone Diagnosed with COVID-19 factsheet, which is available in English, Hmong, and Spanish

COVID TESTING

COVID TESTING Spanish

September 17, 2020- Key COVID-19 Updates for the Whitewater Community

Key Walworth County Updates

FAQs:
 How do I address false claims that may be circulating in my community about COVID-19 prevalence, face coverings and other aspects of this pandemic and still keep the focus on the message that I want people to hear?

Occasionally, public health may not be able to avoid addressing false claims. In these situations, consider the approach of George Lakoff and journalists who are using a technique called the “truth sandwich.”

Lakoff’s truth sandwich recipe is:

  1. Start with the truth. The first frame gets the advantage.
  2. Indicate the lie. Avoid amplifying the specific language if possible.
  3. Return to the truth. Always repeat truths more than lies.

For an example of the "truth sandwich," and other communication reframing techniques applied specifically to the issue of face coverings, check out Tips for Communicating about Masks in the Midst of Misinformation from Berkeley Media Studies Group.

September 14, 2020- Key COVID-19 Updates for the Whitewater Community

Key Walworth County Updates

covid testing image

September 3, 2020- Key COVID-19 Updates for the Whitewater Community

Key Walworth County Updates

August 31, 2020- Key COVID-19 Updates for the Whitewater Community

Key Walworth County Updates:

  • Walworth County Public Health has developed and published a guide for parents with students returning to school this fall:
  • Walworth County Immunization clinics have reopened and are by appointment only.
    Monday - Friday
    8:00 am to 4:30 pm
    Call to schedule an appointment - 262-741-3200

August 27, 2020- Key COVID-19 Updates for the Whitewater Community

Key Walworth County Updates:

August 24, 2020- Key COVID-19 Updates for the Whitewater Community

Key Walworth County Updates:

  • Public Health is partnering with Mercyhealth and Advocate Aurora for the "Employer Best Practices during COVID-19 Virtual Town Hall".  This event is a partnership between Walworth County Public Health and our community healthcare partners.  The event is scheduled for MONDAY, AUGUST 31ST AT 9:00AM.   Registration is required for this event. Please visit https://bit.ly/2Qk37DJ to learn more and register. 
  • New and Updated Resources from the Wisconsin Farmworkers Coalition and Family Health La Clinica

o   Wisconsin Farmers Coalition Migrant and Seasonal Agricultural Workers (MSAW) COVID-19 Resource Page

o   Dairy Workers COVID-19 Resource Page

FAQs

Do people who have previously tested positive for COVID-19 need to quarantine or get tested if they come into close contact with someone who is infected with COVID-19?

People who have tested positive for COVID-19 do not need to quarantine or get tested again if they are a close contact of another person that tests positive for up to 3 months after initially testing positive, as long as they do not develop symptoms again. If they develop symptoms, they should isolate and contact a health care provider to discuss whether they should be retested.

August 20, 2020- Key COVID-19 Updates for the Whitewater Community

Key Walworth County Updates:

*The Department of Health Services has released the COVID-19 Individual Decision tool to help people make safe decisions about how and where to gather. https://www.dhs.wisconsin.gov/news/releases/081920a.htm

*The Department of Health Services also released its long-awaited Guidelines for the Prevention, Investigation, and Control of COVID-19 Outbreaks in K-12 Schools in Wisconsin.  https://www.dhs.wisconsin.gov/publications/p02757.pdf  This document is helpful, although offers much of the same information local health offices have been providing to school districts throughout the summer.  It does not provide specific guidelines about when schools should offer face-to-face, hybrid, or distance learning.  These decisions remain in the hands of individual school districts and local health offices. 

August 17, 2020- Key COVID-19 Updates for the Whitewater Community

Key Walworth County Updates:

  • 715 people took advantage of COVID testing during the two-day public testing event in Delavan
  • The CDC released a number of updates included below:

 FAQs:

Are there supports or tools I can offer to community members, school personnel, and families to help with children's emotional health during these stressful times?

The Feelings Thermometer, provided through the Office of Children's Mental Health (OCMH), is available for download or order a free magnetized version for easy posting. It is a visual tool to post on the refrigerator that helps everyone — from kids to adults— measure how they are doing emotionally with tips on how to shift your mood from angry to calm. Research tells us that just identifying a calming activity can reduce anxiety.

OCMH has also recently released the Supporting Child Well-Being Through Improving School Outcomes fact sheet which focuses on what parents, early childhood education providers, teachers and districts, and policymakers can do to support students at risk for expulsion.

The Resilient Wisconsin website also offers practical tools and sources of support that can help strengthen personal resilience during times of stress, so parents and caregivers can take care of themselves and those people around them during COVID-19 and beyond.

August 13, 2020- Key COVID-19 Updates for the Whitewater Community

  1. 2020-08-13 Key COVID-19 Updates for the Whitewater Community

August 6, 2020- Key COVID-19 Updates for the Whitewater Community

  1. 2020-08-06 Key COVID-19 Updates for the Whitewater Community

August 3, 2020- Key COVID-19 Updates for the Whitewater Community

  1. 2020-08-03 Key COVID-19 Updates for the Whitewater Community

July 30, 2020- Key COVID-19 Updates for the Whitewater Community

  1. 2020-07-30 Key COVID-19 Updates for the Whitewater Community

July 27, 2020- Key COVID-19 Updates for the Whitewater Community

  1. 2020-07-27 Key COVID-19 Updates for the Whitewater Community

July 23, 2020- Key COVID-19 Updates for the Whitewater Community

  1. 2020-07-23 Key COVID-19 Updates for the Whitewater Community

July 20, 2020- Key COVID-19 Updates for the Whitewater

  1. 2020-07-20 Key COVID-19 Updates for the Whitewater Community

July 16, 2020- Key COVID-19 Updates for the Whitewater

  1. 2020-07-16 Key COVID-19 Updates for the Whitewater Community

July 13, 2020- Key COVID-19 Updates for the Whitewater Community

  1. 2020-07-13 Key COVID-19 Updates for the Whitewater Community

July 9, 2020- Key COVID-19 Updates for the Whitewater Community

  1. 2020-07-09 Key COVID-19 Updates for the Whitewater Community
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  4. LGTestingFlyer7-28_Span

July 6, 2020- Key COVID-19 Updates for the Whitewater Community

  1. 2020-07-06 Key COVID-19 Updates for the Whitewater Community

July 2, 2020- Key COVID-19 Updates for the Whitewater Community

  1. 2020-07-02 Key COVID-19 Updates for the Whitewater Community

June 29, 2020- Key COVID-19 Updates for the Whitewater Community

  1. 2020-06-29 Key COVID-19 Updates for the Whitewater Community

June 25, 2020- Key COVID-19 Updates for the Whitewater Community

  1. 2020-06-25 Key COVID-19 Updates for the Whitewater Community

June 17, 2020


Focus Forward Podcast Ep 3: President Ray Cross and the UW System - Ray Cross, president of the University of Wisconsin system, discusses students’ desire to thrive despite COVID-19 university closures. WEDC Secretary and CEO Missy Hughes speaks with Cross about Wisconsin’s future and the investments we can make as we return from the pandemic.

June 16, 2020- Key COVID-19 Updates for the Whitewater Community

  1. 2020-06-16 Key COVID-19 Updates for the Whitewater Community

June 15, 2020- Key COVID-19 Updates for the Whitewater Community

  1. 2020-06-15 Key COVID-19 Updates for the Whitewater Community

June 11, 2020- Key COVID-19 Updates for the Whitewater Community

  1. 2020-06-11 Key COVID-19 Updates for the Whitewater Community

June 10, 2020- Key COVID-19 Updates for the Whitewater Community

  1. 2020-06-10 Key COVID-19 Updates for the Whitewater Community

June 9, 2020- Key COVID-19 Updates for the Whitewater Community

  1. 2020-06-09 Key COVID-19 Updates for the Whitewater Community

June 5, 2020- Key COVID-19 Updates for the Whitewater Community

  1. 2020-06-05 Key COVID-19 Updates for the Whitewater Community

June 4, 2020- Virtual Town Hall Meeting Notice

  1. 2020-06-04 Virtual Town Hall Meeting Notice

June 3, 2020- Key COVID-19 Updates for the Whitewater Community

  1. 2020-06-03 Key COVID-19 Updates for the Whitewater Community

May 29, 2020- City of Whitewater Reopening Local Government Plan

  1. 2020-05-29 City of Whitewater Reopening Local Government Plan

May 26, 2020 Key COVID-19 Updates for the Whitewater Community

  1. 2020-05-26 Key COVID-19 Updates for the Whitewater Community

May 22, 2020 Key COVID-19 Updates for the Whitewater Community

  1. 2020-05-22 Key COVID-19 Updates for the Whitewater Community

May 15, 2020- Key COVID-19 Updates for the Whitewater Community

Municipal Facility Closures

Though the Wisconsin Supreme Court overturned the Governor’s Safer At Home order (Order #28), many of the practices outlined in the Governor’s order were of significant value in protecting the health and safety of employees. Because the dangers associated with the spread of COVID-19 remain, the City of Whitewater will continue with modified operations until further notice. As a result, municipal facilities will remain closed to the public until further notice. This standard will be reevaluated on or before June 1, 2020. Any updates or changes will be provided publicly via this page as well as the City’s other media outlets. 

May 14, 2020- Key COVID-19 Updates for the Whitewater Community

View the May 14, 2020 press release from City Manager, Cameron Clapper in reference to the changes made to the Safer at Home Emergency Order #28.

May 13, 2020 Key COVID-19 Updates for the Whitewater Community

  1. 2020-05-13 Key COVID-19 Updates for the Whitewater Community

May 8, 2020 Key COVID-19 Updates for the Whitewater Community

  1. 2020-05-08 Key COVID-19 Updates for the Whitewater Community

May 8, 2020- Wisconsin Economic Development Corporation (WEDC) – Reopen Guidelines for Businesses

Visit the WEDC website for relief and recovery resources for Wisconsin businesses.

May 6, 2020 Key COVID-19 Updates

  1. 2020-05-06 Key COVID-19 Updates for the Whitewater Community

May 5, 2020 Key COVID-19 Updates

  1. 2020-05-05 Key COVID-19 Updates for the Whitewater Community

May 1, 2020 Key COVID-19 Updates

  1. 2020-05-01 Key COVID-19 Updates for the Whitewater Community

April 24, 2020- City Services & Facilities Update

  1. 2020-04-24 City Services - Facilities Update

March 31, 2020- SBA Paycheck Protection Program

To All Whitewater Businesses:

Please see the below information regarding the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act (CARES Act) which was signed into law by President Trump on Friday (March 27th). Special thanks to Knight Public Affairs for assembling this information.

Individuals with questions should contact their preferred lender for more details.

The CARES Act will put the Small Business Administration’s (SBA) Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) for small businesses and nonprofits into action.

The SBA is finalizing the regulations and requirements for the PPP and banks are waiting for guidance on how to move forward, however it is important for you to get with your lender now to be prepared in every way you can.

The documents below will help you begin the process:

CARES Act FAQs

Small Business Owners Guide to the CARES Act

Here are more COVID-19 procedures and announcements that may be helpful to you:

DOR Tax Filing Deadline Extension

DOT Rest Areas Remain Open

OCI Guidance on Insurance Flexibility

DATCP Guidance for Food Supply and Delivery

DOT Emissions Testing Timeline

DWD Unemployment Information

DFI Federally Insured Financial Institutions

DPI Updates

March 24, 2020- Municipal Building Closure Update

  1. 2020-03-24 Municipal Building Closure Update.pdf

March 24, 2020- In-Person Absentee Voting Hours

  1. 2020-03-24 In-Person Absentee Voting Hours.pdf

March 18, 2020- City Manager Declares City State of Emergency

  1. State of Emergency 2020.03.18

March 17, 2020- Municipal Building Closure & In-Person Absentee Voting Hours

  1. 2020-03-17 Municipal Building Closure & In-Person Absentee Voting Hours.pdf