Dear WH&LA Lodging Member:
The key components included are:
- All of the following is effective at 5:00 today (Tuesday, March 17)
- A statewide moratorium on mass gatherings of 10 people or more.
- The definition of “mass gatherings” changed from yesterday’s count of 50 or more people to just 10 or more people (“Mass gathering is any planned or spontaneous, public or private event or convening that will bring together or is likely to bring together 10 or more people in a single room or single confined or enclosed space at the same time”)
- Any gathering of less than 10 people in a single room or confined or enclosed space at the same time MUST: 1) Preserve social distancing of 6 feet between people and 2) follow all other public health recommendations issued by the state DHS or Centers for Disease Control
- All bars must close
- All restaurants must close EXCEPT for take-out or delivery service. No seating may be provided and food may not be consumed at the restaurant. Restaurants must preserve 6 feet between customers during pick up.
- Hotels and motels may remain open, as long as restaurants comply with their restrictions and all bars are closed.
- All retail food establishments (convenience stores, grocery stores, etc.) MUST: 1) close all seating intended for consuming food 2) cease self-service operations of salad bars, beverage stations, and buffets, and 3) prohibit sutlers from self-dispensing all unpackaged food
- Office spaces may remain open if they implement social distancing, including teleworking as much as practicable.
- Airports and mass transportation may remain open, as long as restaurants comply with their restrictions.
- Retail establishments where large numbers of people are present but are not generally within arms length of one another for more than 10 minutes may remain open, however indoor shopping malls must close.
- These restrictions supersede any previous Executive Order that otherwise conflicts with it, and this remains in effect until a new order states otherwise.
In addition, Governor Evers has announced that they are working on repealing the one week waiting period for individuals filing for Unemployment and the Work Search requirement, but this will be officially announced when finalized. He also confirmed that they are working on petitioning the Small Business Administration (SBA) for Wisconsin small businesses facing severe losses due to COVID-19 issues to be able to apply for small business loans for working capital. On Sunday the WH&LA emailed a letter to the Governor requesting his support in submitting this formal request to the SBA, which is required for areas of a state to be eligible.
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Message from DATCP on Inspections & Interpretations
– The following are brief excerpts from a memo sent by DATCP to their staff and agent partners and just forwarded by the author to WH&LA:
Good afternoon staff and agent partners:
Many questions have been received about what is DATCP doing with respect to retail and recreational inspection work during this COVID-19 event.
DATCP realizes that many of our agent partners have been pulled away from their routine inspection work to deal with responses to COVID-19. We realize this may impact …(agents)… ability to complete agent contract work…
Questions have come in regarding what is considered self-serving operations and self-dispensing. It is our understanding that this means retail food establishments shall limit the use of self-dispensing packages. We would advise that any device, bottle, scoop, lever, or other handle that is touched by multiple customers without a thorough cleaning and sanitizing step between customers be taken out of service.
Questions have come regarding retail food establishments that want to allow curb side pickup and delivery, due to the Governors recent order, this is the only activity that can occur. During this event we are not adjusting the establishments assessment or license fee.
Take care and stay safe.
James Kaplanek
Section Chief for Retail Food and Recreational Programs
Division of Food and Recreational Safety
Wisconsin Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection
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Finally, thank you to the well over 100 members who have already completed yesterday’s
survey on the impact of the Coronavirus to lodging properties in Wisconsin
. If you have not yet participated, it is still possible until midnight tonight. We are still planning to share the aggregated results with you on Wednesday (tomorrow). We believe that you will find this information helpful as you address the many implications of this pandemic moving forward.
Best,
Trisha
