Richland Center, WI: A virtual Emergency Operations Center meeting was held again this morning to share information between Richland County officials and community partners in a joint response to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Public Health Manager/Local Health Officer, Rose Kohout announced that as of 2:00pm Monday, April 27th the Wisconsin Department of Health Services (DHS) confirmed that in the state of Wisconsin there were 6,081 confirmed cases of COVID-19, 61,311 have tested negative, there were 281 deaths, and 1,415 hospitalizations due to COVID-19. Of those that tested positive for COVID-19 in the state of Wisconsin, 23% have been hospitalized. There are 11 confirmed cases of COVID-19 in Richland County, 232 have tested negative, and there has been 1 death as a result of COVID-19 at this time.
The Richland Hospital Coronavirus Hotline remains available 24 hours a day 7 days a week and patients are still being instructed to call (608) 604-9953 BEFORE coming to the hospital. The Richland Hospital continues to offer their “Respiratory Illness Evaluation” drive-thru service from 8am-Noon 7 days a week and COVID-19 testing is being offered to anyone displaying symptoms.
Governor Tony Evers offered an update to the Safer at Home Order yesterday and Richland County community partners discussed the refined operational requirements and allowances for some essential businesses. Essential businesses are permitted to do the following Minimum Basic Operations starting Wednesday, April 29th:
- Curb-side drop-off: Minimum Basic Operations may include customer curb-side drop-off of goods or animals for the purpose of having those goods or animals serviced, repaired, or cared for by the business. Staff within the business or facility must be limited to one person in a room or confined space at a time, including a car or truck. Services must be paid for on-line or by phone. Drop-offs and pick-ups must be scheduled ahead of time to ensure compliance with Social Distancing Requirements as defined in section 16 of the Safer at Home Order. Customers are not permitted in the business or facility. The business may not require a signature by the customer. Suppliers to non-essential businesses and supply chains for non-essential businesses are non-essential and shall only operate under Minimum Basic Operations to provide goods or services to other non-essential businesses operating under this section.
- Outdoor recreational rentals: Minimum Basic Operations may include rental of recreational equipment including but not limited to boats, kayaks, canoes, paddle boats, golf carts, snowmobiles, and ATVs. Staff within the business or facility must be limited to one person in a room or confined space at a time, including a car or truck. Rentals must be paid for on-line or by phone. The business must schedule pick-up and drop-off ahead of time to ensure compliance with Social Distancing Requirements as defined in section 16 of the Safer at Home Order. Customers must remain outside the business or facility. Rented equipment must be cleaned after each use. Suppliers to non-essential businesses and supply chains for non-essential businesses are non-essential and shall only operate under Minimum Basic Operations to provide goods or services to other non-essential businesses operating under this section.
- Car washes: Entirely automatic car washes and self-service car washes may open for service. High-touch surfaces must be cleaned between each use if possible, or as frequently as practicable.
For more information on essential and non-essential businesses, check the information page on the Wisconsin Economic Development Corporation (WEDC) website https://wedc.org/essentialbusiness/. Details on the Badger Bounce Back plan can be found at https://www.dhs.wisconsin.gov/publications/p02653a.pdf.
Richland County Community Partners shared the status of their individual organization’s emergency response, reviewed staffing and PPE (Personal Protective Equipment) needs and local inventory, and discussed priority topics to support the community through the recovery process. The Whole Community Recovery Steering Committee is developing a “Safety Compliance Checklist” for businesses and industries to utilize and post for customers that explains their safe business practices as a result of COVID-19.
If you have a COVID-19 question that you want our community partners to answer, please call Richland County Health & Human Services at 608-647-8821 and submit your question to the receptionist or email the question to rchhs@co.richland.wi.us. Citizens are encouraged to check out the Richland County COVID-19 Dashboard which offers helpful data to better understand the impact of the pandemic globally and locally: https://covid.co.richland.wi.us/2020/04/21/richland-county-covid-19-dashboard/. For the most up-to-date COVID-19 information, follow Richland County Health & Human Services on Facebook or consult the following websites:
- Richland County: https://covid.co.richland.wi.us
- Wisconsin Department of Health Services: www.dhs.wisconsin.gov/covid-19
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention: www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/
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