For IMMEDIATE RELEASE
March 24, 2020

Waupaca County:
COVID-19 has surprised us all with the level of impact it has had on our lives. We have taken some important steps in fighting COVID-19 and I applaud all of the efforts our communities have taken to respond to this pandemic. Now is the time for us to collectively do all we can to protect the health and safety of our community.

It is imperative to slow the spread of this disease. If we can slow the spread, we can flatten the curve. Flattening the curve means minimizing the number of people who get COVID-19 at the same time. The larger the number of people who have the disease at any one time, the larger the subset of those infected people who will have severe illness and
need hospitalization. If our health care providers are going to have the capacity they need to save lives and treat those who require hospitalization, we must minimize the number of people who have COVID-19 at the same time.

Today Governor Evers issued the Safer At Home Order. Our entire state must take these steps together. This is a big challenge. It is important that we all take this seriously. Lives are at stake. Waupaca County Public Health will continue to do all of the prevention and mitigation work we have already been applying, and will do our duty to help ensure compliance while Safe At Home is in place.

Additionally, please continue to follow everyday preventive measures to help protect yourself and others by:

• Cover your mouth and nose with a tissue when you cough or sneeze or use the inside of your elbow.
• Wash your hands regularly for at least 20 seconds. If soap and water are not available, use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer
• with at least 60% alcohol.
• Where it’s possible, we also encourage the use of telehealth to keep visits to clinics and hospitals to a minimum–again for your protection, and for the safety of our healthcare providers. Additionally if you are having symptoms- call your doctor–before going to the health center.
• Stay at least six feet away from other people.
• Clean frequently touched surfaces and objects daily (e.g., tables, countertops, light switches, doorknobs, and cabinet
• handles). See CDC’s recommendations for household cleaning and disinfection webpage.

Flatten The Curve so our Doctors, nurses, and Healthcare workers have the opportunity to do their important work.

We’re all in this together, and each and every one of us has to do our part to help slow the spread of COVID-19 so we can flatten the curve so our doctors, nurses, and healthcare workers have the opportunity to do their important work.

The people of Waupaca County have always been strong and resilient. We are going to come out of this and we will be an even stronger community afterward.

Stay home. Stay calm. Stay well. We will get through this, together.
Sincerely,
Jed Wohlt
Waupaca County Health Officer
END