Masks mandates, other COVID-19 restrictions are dropping across the state

In late March, the Wisconsin Supreme Court struck down Gov. Tony Evers’ statewide mask mandate, adding to the list of his executive orders that were ruled illegal, including his stay-at-home order and his attempt to limit capacity in bars, restaurants and other indoor places. The result was mostly academic, as local health departments could still enforce mask mandates, stay-at-home orders and business capacity limits. That is about to change.

Driven by general Centers for Disease Control (CDC) recommendations for people who are fully vaccinated, states and municipalities are dropping their COVID-19 restrictions on an hourly basis, including Dane County, which will lift all related orders effective June 2. Milwaukee will also drop its current order on June 1.

Unfortunately, there is not a one-stop website that lists all changes and local rules. However, please be aware that local rules will vary – some will not require masks for only those “fully vaccinated” (defined as two weeks after the second Moderna and Pfizer vaccines, or the single-dose Johnson & Johnson vaccine), and there may still be specific rules surrounding medical facilities and mass transportation (bus, airplane, etc). Also, businesses and organizations may choose to enforce their own policies. Lastly, the CDC may re-recommend mask and other guidelines if vaccination rates decrease and COVID-19 transmission increases, and government will follow suit.