APPLETON, WI (WTAQ) – As the State Assembly is expected to pass a resolution to immediately end Wisconsin’s coronavirus restrictions, particularly the mask mandate, local municipalities are looking at the impact that decision could have on their communities.
“Our singular focus has been to reduce the case counts in our community,” said Appleton Health Officer Kurt Eggebrecht. “We’re working very hard to keep our schools open, to get our businesses on a firm footing that people feel comfortable to once again build our businesses.”
Eggebrecht says case counts in Appleton have been dropping since a higher degree of residents have begun wearing masks.
“So if you’re encouraging people not to do so, it’s more difficult to contain the virus,” Eggebrecht said.
That’s why Eggebrecht isn’t exactly a big fan of the idea of eliminating the statewide mask mandate, among other restrictions related to mitigating COVID-19.
“Our focus has been to educate people on what works. And what works, as science shows us, is that wearing masks and social distancing are the best tools that we have. So anything that works against that doesn’t seem productive in my opinion…It would be like asking someone that’s building roads – ‘If you don’t have concrete, will you be successful?'” Eggebrecht told WTAQ News. “If we don’t wear masks and social distance, the experience has been that we have a rise in cases. And as we have rising cases, we have more hospitalizations. And if we have more hospitalizations, we have more deaths. That’s the anticipated outcome of a decision like this.”
The vote in the Assembly would not impact local ordinances, however. Appleton currently doesn’t have a local mandate in place, and a policy decision to implement one would rest with the common council. But Eggebrecht expressed some confidence in the community, even if all mandates are off the table.
“My belief is that the people of Appleton recognize the value of wearing masks. I think the expectation is that we would encourage people to continue to do so,” Eggebrecht said. “The more we work together, we’re going to get better results. We really want our businesses to remain strong, we want our schools to remain open, and anything that we can all do together to make that happen is in all of our best interest.”
Meanwhile, a regional vaccination clinic is set to open at the Fox Cities Exhibition Center in Appleton next week.
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