Evers unveils “Badger Bounce Back” plan

Governor to join MMAC Business Strategies during the Pandemic webinar, 11 am Tuesday, April 21

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On Monday, Wisconsin Gov. Tony Evers unveiled the “Badger Bounce Back,” a plan which outlines:

 “important criteria for Wisconsin to be able to reopen its economy in phases and includes steps to make sure workers and businesses are prepared to reopen as soon as it is safe to do so.”

 Gov. Evers will join for a portion of our Business Strategies During the Pandemic webinar at 11 a.m. on Tuesday, providing an opportunity for the business community to discuss the steps it will take to “turn the dial” on a phased-in economic restart.
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Last week, MMAC unveiled its Smart Restart plan, which outlines a flexible approach to restarting the economy based on health data.

As MMAC President Tim Sheehy wrote in a note to members last week, “We continue to believe that this data shows that we need to be flexible in determining a Smart Restart of our economy, and that improving trends will allow us to reel in the May 26th extension of ‘Safer at Home.’ In addition, we believe the challenging economic conditions are a growing factor in this consideration.”

The governor’s plan is based on “gating criteria” and “core state responsibilities,” which will be evaluated regularly and guide decisions about when Wisconsin can move to the first of three phases of an economic restart. According to the plan, the first phase will begin when “all gating criteria and core responsibilities are met.” As outlined in our Smart Restart plan, the MMAC is urging flexibility instead of an “all or nothing” approach.

Gating criteria in the state’s plan include:

• Symptoms: There is a 14-day downward trajectory in influenza-like illnesses and COVID-19-like syndrome cases.
• Cases: Positive tests as a percent of total tests have a downward trajectory within a 14-day period.
• Hospitals: All patients are treated without crisis care and robust testing programs are in place for at risk healthcare workers, with decreasing numbers of infected health care workers.
• Adequate personal protective equipment available.
  
  

Core state responsibilities in the state’s plan include:

• Testing: Every WI resident who has COVID-19 symptoms can get a lab test, with results reported in 48 hours to patient and public health. The goal is 85,0000 tests per week.
• Tracing: Expanding contact tracing capacity. The state wants to increase staff by 1,000 to ensure everyone contacted is traced.
• Tracking: The spread of the disease and the status of the Wisconsin gating criteria will be reported to keep everyone informed about how we are doing.

The three phases of the state’s plan include:
 
Phase 1: Partial reopening of non-essential businesses. Restaurants can open with health and safety best practices in place. Retail restrictions are removed. Gatherings with a maximum of 10 people are allowed.
 
Phase 2: Bars and non-essential businesses can open with best practices. Post-secondary educational institutions can consider opening. Meetings with 50-person maximum.
 
Phase 3: All open with no meeting maximum.