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On Thursday, a day after the Wisconsin Supreme Court overturned Gov. Tony Evers’ statewide mask order — and halted his ability to impose new public health orders — the fallout from the high court decision continued. Elimination of the mask mandate will cost Wisconsin nearly $50 million a month in federal emergency food aid, affecting thousands of low-income Wisconsin residents. And some counties and cities in Wisconsin say they will not impose local mask orders, which have been shown to be an effective strategy for curbing the spread of COVID-19.
Top Stories
These Wisconsin cities and counties have their own mask mandates — Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
Supreme Court ruling disqualifies Wisconsin from $50 million in emergency monthly food aid — TMJ4
Chippewa County not likely to impose mask order — Eau Claire Leader-Telegram
Opinion: After Dad died of COVID-19, there can be no return to ‘normal.’ But the vaccines offer hope that others will be spared — Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
False-positive COVID-19 test puts scare into Brewers — Wisconsin State Journal
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Quotable
“So if you were getting $16, you all of the sudden started getting a little over $200. So you’re going to go back to $16 a month.”
Maureen Fitzgerald, vice president of Feeding America Eastern Wisconsin, speaking to TMJ4 on Wisconsin’s impending loss of nearly $50 million a month in federal emergency food aid.
Data to note
Here’s a look at the Department of Health Services’ vaccine dashboard, which showed Thursday that 75.7% of Wisconsinites ages 65 and older have gotten at least one dose — as have 31.1% of the state’s overall population. Racial disparities persist in distributing vaccines. The shares of Black, Hispanic and Native American residents to receive a dose remain below that of white residents.
Public health officials continue to urge Wisconsinites to wear masks and practice physical distancing until vaccinations are more widely distributed. On Thursday, the state DHS reported 517 new cases and three new deaths. The statewide death toll is now 6,625.
WisContext offers this visualization.
Find a vaccine site near you
DHS has this interactive map of vaccine providers across Wisconsin. Vaccinations are generally by appointment only and it may take time to schedule appointments with providers due to limited supplies of vaccines. Curious about how well your county is doing on vaccinations? The Washington Post created this searchable map.
Resilient Wisconsin
People helping others and showing resilience during this time of anxiety. Send suggestions by tagging us on social media — @wisconsinwatch — or emailing us: tips@wisconsinwatch.org.
Overcoming fear of needles ahead of COVID-19 shot — WKOW
Health providers partner with United Way to create accessible COVID-19 vaccine website — Beloit Daily News
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