St. Croix County Health officials release updated health advisory

On June 22, St. Croix County Public Health Officials announced updates to the county’s Health Advisory that was previously issued on May 15, 2020. The advisory provides updated recommendations for public gatherings, schools, businesses, and communities of faith to help control the spread of COVID-19. The recommendations are broken into four categories:

• Public Gatherings

• Individuals, Families and Communities

• Business, Schools, and Organizations

• Faith Communities

Creating safe conditions for these groups are crucial as restrictions are being eased nationwide. “Two weeks after the safer at home order ended in Wisconsin, we saw an increase of 10 cases in one day. The largest increase our county has seen. Though we haven’t seen large spikes in cases after May 31, we are averaging over2 cases per day,” said Kelli Engen, St. Croix County Health Officer. The advisory addresses public gatherings, and recommends 10 or less people indoors, and less than 50 outdoors. “This is an important distinction,”said Laurie Diaby, Public Health Supervisor. “In our first advisory, we had no distinction between indoor and outdoor gatherings. We understand the need for social interaction and want people to socialize safely.”According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), COVID-19 is thought to spread from person to person, mainly through respiratory droplets produced when an infected person coughs, sneezes, or talks. Following the recommendations in the health advisory can help us reduce the spread of COVID-19 and keep our community safe. St. Croix County Public Health is encouraging everyone to:

• Read the through the COVID-19 resources and updated Heath Advisory on the St. Croix County website at https://www.sccwi.gov/951/St-Croix-County-Health-Advisory

• Stay home if you are sick.

• Wash your hands often.

• Avoid touching your face.

• Wear a cloth face covering in public if you are medically able.

• And, maintain a six-foot distance from people who do not live in your household.

Please do your part to help keep your family, friends, neighbors,  and community safe.