>> THE FOLLOWING PROGRAM
IS A PBS WISCONSIN
ORIGINAL PRODUCTION.
>> I'M FREDERICA FREYBERG.
THIS WEEK ON "HERE AND NOW,"
LESSONS LEARNED ABOUT THE IMPACT
COVID-19 HAD ON THE MEMORIAL DAY
WEEKEND.
WE WILL TALK WITH STATE
EPIDEMIOLOGIST DR. RYAN
WESTERGAARD.
ALSO, TOURISM IN THE NORTHWOODS,
SOME INSIGHTS FROM KRYSTAL
WESTFAHL WITH MINOCQUA CHAMBER
OF COMMERCE.
PLUS OUR WEEKLY ONE-ON-ONE WITH
GOVERNOR TONY EVERS.
IT'S "HERE AND NOW" FOR MAY 29.
>> FUNDING FOR "HERE AND NOW" IS
PROVIDED BY THE FOCUS FUND FOR
JOURNALISM AND PBS WISCONSIN.
? ?
>> THIS PAST WEEKEND, WISCONSIN
CAME OUT OF CORONAVIRUS
HIBERNATION IN DROVES AND WITH
WARM WEATHER THIS COMING
WEEKEND, IT WILL BE MORE OF THE
SAME.
WISCONSINITES HEADED TO THE
WATER FOR BOATING AND OTHER
ACTIVITIES TO LAUNCH THE
UNOFFICIAL START OF SUMMER.
AS WISCONSIN REOPENS, STATE
LEADERS ARE KEEPING A WATCHFUL
EYE ON THIS SOCIAL EXPERIMENT.
>> EACH WEEK, SINCE THE PANDEMIC
STARTED IN MID-MARCH, WE HAVE
CHECKED IN WITH GOVERNOR TONY
EVERS TO GET THE NEWEST
INFORMATION ON THE STATE'S
RESPONSE TO COVID-19.
I TALKED WITH GOVERNOR EVERS
EARLIER TODAY AS WE READ INTO
ANOTHER SUMMER WEEKEND.
BUT FIRST, WE BEGAN WITH HIS
REACTION TO THE DEATH OF GEORGE
FLOYD, WHO WAS KILLED WHEN A
MINNEAPOLIS POLICE OFFICER
PRESSED HIS KNEE ONTO FLOYD'S
NECK.
THAT OFFICER HAS NOW BEEN
CHARGED WITH MURDER.
AND, GOVERNOR, THANK YOU VERY
MUCH FOR BEING HERE AGAIN.
>> THANK YOU.
THANKS, FREDERICA.
>> WELL, YOU PUT OUT AN
IMPASSIONED STATEMENT TODAY ON
THE DEATH OF GEORGE FLOYD SAYING
THIS WAS NOT AN ANOMALY AND WITH
IT WE RELIVE THE PAIN OF THE
DEATH OF BLACK WISCONSINITES
LIKE DONTRE HAMILTON.
YOU SAY THAT WE MUST SEE THE
TRAUMA, FEAR, AND EXHAUSTION
OF BEING BLACK IN OUR STATE
AND OUR COUNTRY.
MY QUESTION TO YOU IS,
AND THEN WHAT?
>> WELL, IT IS-- IT'S A
PERSONAL STATEMENT THAT I HAD
THERE, BUT AS A STATE AND AS A
NATION, WE DO HAVE TO GRAPPLE
WITH THE ISSUE OF RACISM AND HOW
ISSUES ARE DEALT WITH
DISPROPORTIONATELY, WHETHER IT'S
ISSUES AROUND THE PANDEMIC OR
ISSUES ABOUT WHETHER PEOPLE WALK
AWAY FROM AN INCIDENT WITH A
POLICE OFFICER AND LIVE.
AND SO IT IS-- IT IS TIME FOR
ALL OF US TO REFLECT ON THAT AND
MAKE SURE THAT OUR HEARTS ARE IN
THE RIGHT PLACE.
OBVIOUSLY, THERE'S POLICIES THAT
WE CAN LOOK AT TO CHANGE THINGS,
BUT AT THE END OF THE DAY, THE
CHANGE HAS TO HAPPEN INTERNALLY
AND I'M JUST-- IT'S SUCH A
DEPRESSING SITUATION.
BUT WE CAN RISE ABOVE IT.
BUT WE HAVE TO ADDRESS IT.
>> THERE WAS PROTESTS IN
MILWAUKEE THIS AFTERNOON, THE
TITLE OF WHICH WAS "NO MORE
BEING STOOD ON; WE CAN'T
BREATHE."
MILWAUKEE SUFFERS SOME OF THE
WORST INEQUALITIES IN THE
NATION.
ARE THESE CONDITIONS URGENT
FOR YOU, A PUBLIC EMERGENCY
OF SORTS?
>> YEAH, ABSOLUTELY.
I HAD A CHANCE TO TALK TO
SEVERAL LEADERS IN THE MILWAUKEE
COMMUNITY, INCLUDING ELECTED
OFFICIALS, BUT ALSO COMMUNITY
LEADERS TODAY, AND CLEARLY THIS
IS SOMETHING THAT WE ALL TAKE
SERIOUSLY.
WE JUST-- YOU KNOW, IT'S ALWAYS
EASY ONCE WE'RE A WEEK OR TWO
OUT FROM THIS TO SAY-- TO NOT
THINK ABOUT IT.
BUT THIS IS A WATERSHED MOTION
FOR-- TIME FOR OUR STATE AND
FOR OUR NATION.
I'M VERY HOPEFUL THAT WE CAN
TAKE A LOOK AT RACISM, HOW IT
IMPACTS PEOPLE'S LIVES AND HOW
ISSUES AROUND DISPROPORTIONATE
HEALTH CARE OUTCOMES AFFECT
CERTAIN PEOPLE DIFFERENTLY,
CERTAINLY PEOPLE OF COLOR
DIFFERENTLY, AND ECONOMICALLY,
HOUSING, YOU NAME IT.
THERE'S A DISPROPORTIONATELY,
FRANKLY, ON ALL ISSUES
THAT FACE US.
AND SO, YES, IT IS GOING TO BE
AN ONGOING ISSUE THAT WE NEED TO
TALK ABOUT.
>> AS IF TO MIRROR THE
DISPARITIES OF WHICH YOU SPEAK
IN MILWAUKEE, COVID-19 NUMBERS
AND DEATHS THERE ARE
DISPROPORTIONATELY AFFECTING
AFRICAN-AMERICANS AND HISPANICS.
AND NOW THE STATE REOPENS.
TODAY WE SEE THAT THERE WERE 733
NEW COVID-19 CASES AND 18 NEW
FATALITIES.
YOUR COMMENT ON THOSE NUMBERS?
>> WELL, THEY'RE HIGH,
OBVIOUSLY.
AND WE'RE TESTING MORE, SO THAT
DOES PLAY A ROLE IN THIS.
BUT AT THE END OF THE DAY, WE
NEED TO CONTINUE TO DO THE
REALLY IMPORTANT THINGS, YOU
KNOW, SOCIAL DISTANCING, MAKING
SURE WE'RE SIX FEET AHEAD,
MAKING SURE OUR HANDS ARE CLEAN,
WEAR A MASK.
ALL THOSE THINGS ARE IMPORTANT.
AND WE NEED TO KEEP EMPHASIZING
THAT.
CLEARLY-- BUT I WANT TO CYCLE
BACK.
THIS ISSUE DOES IMPACT PEOPLE OF
COLOR IN A REALLY
EXTRAORDINARILY DIFFERENT WAY
AND A NEGATIVE WAY.
AND IF-- AS A STATE IF WE DON'T
STATE TO TAKE ON THAT ISSUE
SERIOUSLY-- YOU KNOW, I'LL JUST
GO BACK TO SOMETHING I WORKED ON
LAST YEAR AROUND OUR BUDGET WITH
MEDICAID EXPANSION.
WE COULD HAVE HAD-- WE COULD
HAVE HAD RESOURCES TO DEAL WITH
THOSE DISPROPORTIONATE HEALTH
OUTCOMES.
INSTEAD OF HAVING IT BE SHOWN UP
AGAIN IN THIS PANDEMIC, WE COULD
BE WORKING ON IT RIGHT NOW.
UNFORTUNATELY, WE COULDN'T GET
THE LEGISLATURE TO THINK THROUGH
THAT.
>> WHAT DO YOU THINK IN THE
MIDST OF ALL OF THIS WHEN YOU
SEE CROWDS OF PEOPLE AS SUMMER
BREAK IS HERE NOT WEARING MASKS
AND NOT SOCIAL DISTANCING?
>> I UNDERSTAND BEING COOPED UP.
THAT ISN'T ANYTHING ANYBODY
LIKES.
BUT IF WE ARE GOING TO GO OUT,
WE NEED TO DO THE THINGS THAT
ARE IMPORTANT.
IT DISAPPOINTMENTS ME WHEN IT
DOES HAPPEN, WHEN I SEE PICTURES
OF THAT, THAT PEOPLE ARE
CONGREGATING RIGHT NEXT TO EACH
OTHER WITHOUT MASKS.
THAT DOESN'T WORK.
THE VIRUS DOESN'T REALLY CARE
ABOUT YOU BEING COOPED UP IN
YOUR HOUSE.
IT'S GOING TO INFECT YOU.
AND SO WE JUST HAVE TO KEEP
REMINDING PEOPLE.
I THINK OUR BUSINESS LEADERS FOR
THE MOST PART DO BELIEVE THAT
THESE THINGS ARE IMPORTANT AND
THEY'RE IMPLEMENTING THOSE
THINGS IN THEIR PLACES OF WORK.
BUT IT'S OUTSIDE OF THAT REALM
THAT SCARES ME.
>> ALL RIGHT.
GOVERNOR EVERS, WE LEAVE IT
THERE.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR YOUR
INFORMATION AND COMMENT TODAY.
>> WITH MORE TESTING AVAILABLE,
WISCONSIN IS SEEING A SURGE IN
THE NUMBER OF REPORTED CASES.
AT THE SAME TIME, THE DEPARTMENT
OF HEALTH SERVICES ANNOUNCED IT
IS AIMING TO HIRE 1,000 MORE
CONTACT TRACERS TO TRACK THE
SPREAD OF COVID-19.
IT'S A JOB LOCAL HEALTH
DEPARTMENTS HAVE BEEN REQUIRED
TO UNDERTAKE ON THEIR OWN FOR
SEVERAL MONTHS.
MARISA WOJCIK TALKS WITH TWO
LOCAL HEALTH OFFICIALS IN
SOUTHEAST WISCONSIN ABOUT THIS
CRUCIAL STEP IN TRACKING THE
OUTBREAK.
>> OKAY.
SO WE JUST HAVE TO GO THROUGH
THIS POSITIVE INTERVIEW FORM.
>> IF YOU TEST POSITIVE FOR
COVID-19, YOU MAY GET A CALL
THAT SOUNDS A LITTLE LIKE THIS.
>> HAVE TO GO THROUGH SOME
SYMPTOMS AND THEN SOME
PREEXISTING MEDICAL CONDITIONS
AND DOCUMENTING ANY CONTACTS YOU
MAY HAVE HAD.
>> IT'S FROM A CONTACT TRACER,
AND THERE'S A NETWORK OF THEM
ACROSS THE STATE TRACKING THE
DISEASE.
>> IF WE CAN IDENTIFY A POSITIVE
CASE AND THE PEOPLE THEY WERE IN
CONTACT WITH, WE CAN WRAP OUR
ARMS AROUND THAT POCKET OF
PEOPLE AND ENSURE THAT THEY ARE
NO LONGER SPREADING THE DISEASE.
>> IS THE DIRECTOR OF AN AREA
WITH A RELATIVELY LOW NUMBER OF
POSITIVE CASES.
>> WE HAVE CONTACTS THAT HAVE
BEEN AT HOME FOR DAYS AND WENT
TO THE GROCERY STORE AND HAD A
FRIEND THEY TALKED TO FOR 15
MINUTES.
THEN WE HAVE OTHER SITUATIONS
WHERE PEOPLE LIVE IN A
CONGREGATE SETTING AND INTERACT
WITH A LOT OF PEOPLE AND IT
BECOMES MORE COMPLICATED.
>> THIS WAS A CONTACT TRACING OF
A FIRE DEPARTMENT AND NUMBERS OF
INFECTIONS AT EACH STATION.
>> AS THE STATE BEGINS TO OPEN
UP, AGGRESSIVE TESTING AND
CONTACT TRACING ARE HEALTH
OFFICIALS' BEST LINES OF
DEFENSE.
THE MORE PEOPLE GET TESTED, THE
BETTER.
>> IT BECOMES THIS CONTINUOUS
PROCESS FOR US.
>> MARGARET GESNER LEADS THE
CENTRAL RACINE PUBLIC HEALTH
DEPARTMENT AND A COUNTY
EXPERIENCING THE THIRD LARGEST
OUTBREAK IN THE STATE.
SHE SAID THEY HAVE FIVE CONTACT
TRACERS, BUT FOR THE POPULATION
SHE OVERSEES THEY NEED AN
AVERAGE OF 75.
>> SO YOU CAN SEE THAT WE'RE
NOWHERE CLOSE TO WHERE WE NEED
TO BE.
YOU KNOW, WE DON'T LIVE ON AN
ISLAND.
AND SO I THINK THAT WE SHOULD
ALL BE CONCERNED.
>> LOCAL PUBLIC HEALTH
DEPARTMENTS ARE DOING THEIR BEST
TO MEET THE DEMAND.
>> WE ARE TAKING IT OUT OF OUR
UNDESIGNATED FUND BALANCE AND
RUNNING A NEGATIVE.
>> BUT FUNDING IS IN SHORT
SUPPLY TO PAY FOR TRACERS.
>> PEOPLE ARE THE MOST EXPENSIVE
RESOURCES AND WE HAVE A CRITICAL
NEED SINCE THE STATE IS STARTING
TO OPEN UP TO HANDLE THE SPREAD
OF THE VIRUS THAT WE KNOW IS
GOING TO HAPPEN.
>> FOR "HERE AND NOW," I'M
MARISA WOJCIK.
>> FOR ADDITIONAL IN-DEPTH
REPORTING ON CONTACT TRACING IN
WISCONSIN, VISIT OUR PARTNER
NEWS SITE AT WisContext.
THIS WEEK, A LOOK AT HOW CONTACT
TRACING IS WORKING IN OZAUKEE,
RACINE, DANE AND ONEIDA
COUNTIES.
>> FROM CONTACT TRACING TO OTHER
TRENDS IN THE FIGHT AGAINST
CORONAVIRUS, DR. RYAN
WESTERGAARD, WISCONSIN STATE
EPIDEMIOLOGIST, MONITORS THE
PULSE OF WHAT IS HAPPENING
ACROSS THE STATE.
AS WISCONSIN LURCHES FORWARD
WITH REOPENING, HE WILL PLAY A
PIVOTAL ROLE IN THE COMING
WEEKS.
THANK YOU FOR JOINING US AGAIN
THIS WEEK.
>> I'M GLAD TO BE BACK.
THANK YOU.
>> WHAT ARE THE NUMBERS OF
POSITIVE CASES AND DEATHS
TRENDING LIKE RIGHT NOW?
>> WELL, TODAY-- EVERY DAY WE
REPORT THE SORT OF NEW UPDATED
NUMBERS THAT GET REPORTED TO US
FROM THE PREVIOUS DAY.
TODAY THERE WERE 512 NEW
POSITIVE CASES, JUST OVER 10,000
NEW NEGATIVE CASE RESULTS AND AN
ADDITIONAL 11 DEATHS REPORTED.
SO THESE NUMBERS ARE IN LINE
WITH WHAT WE'VE BEEN SEEING ON
AVERAGE IN THE PAST WEEK AND A
LITTLE BIT HIGHER THAN THEY HAVE
BEEN COMPARED TO SAY TWO WEEKS
AGO.
>> WHAT EXPLAINS THAT?
I KNOW DURING A MIDWEEK BRIEFING
YOU SAID THAT WITH 599 NEW
POSITIVE CASES DAY OVER DAY AND
THEN THE LARGEST NUMBER OF
DEATHS IN A SINGLE DAY AT 22 ON
WEDNESDAY, YOU SAID THAT THERE
ARE MORE PEOPLE IN THE COMMUNITY
NOW THAN THERE WERE TWO WEEKS
AGO THAT HAD THE INFECTION.
IS THAT A MEASURE OF MORE
TESTING OR SOMETHING ELSE?
>> WELL, IT IS TRUE THAT WE'RE
DOING MORE TESTING OVERALL.
IN A GIVEN DAY WE'RE DOING
10,000 NEW TESTS.
SO THE CHANCES THAT WE WILL
CAPTURE MUCH HIGHER PROPORTION
OF THE PEOPLE WHO ARE INFECTED
IS DEFINITELY-- IS DEFINITELY
POSSIBLE AND IT MIGHT BE JUST
THAT WE'RE TESTING MORE PEOPLE.
BUT THERE'S A COUPLE OTHER
SOURCES OF INFORMATION THAT ARE
ALSO SLIGHTLY TRENDING IN THE
WRONG DIRECTION.
THE NUMBER OF HOSPITALIZATIONS
IS HIGHER THAN IT WAS TWO WEEKS
AGO AND, AS YOU MENTIONED, THE
NUMBER OF DEATHS OVERALL.
SO WE DON'T HAVE PERFECT
INFORMATION TO KNOW THE TRUE
STATUS, BUT WHEN WE LOOK AT A
COUPLE DIFFERENT WAYS OF LOOKING
AT IT, IT LOOKS LIKE THE LEVEL
OF COMMUNITY TRANSMISSION IN
WISCONSIN IS A LITTLE BIT HIGHER
THAN IT WAS A COUPLE WEEKS AGO.
>> SO DOES THAT MEAN THAT ENDING
THE "SAFER AT HOME" ORDER HAS
SOMETHING TO DO WITH THIS?
IS THIS WHAT IS HAPPENING NOW?
>> WELL, AS-- YOU KNOW, IN
PUBLIC HEALTH AND REALLY ALL OF
SCIENCE, IT'S REALLY HARD TO SAY
THAT ONE OCCURRENCE DEFINITIVELY
CAUSED SOMETHING ELSE.
WHEN WE'RE TALKING ABOUT
SOMETHING LIKE AN EPIDEMIC,
THERE'S MANY DIFFERENT FACTORS
THAT DETERMINE THE SIZE AND THE
SPEED OF COMMUNITY TRANSMISSION.
SO WE CAN'T PIN IT ON ANY ONE
THING.
BUT WE DO KNOW THAT THE VIRUS IS
TRANSMITTED FROM CLOSE CONTACT
BETWEEN PEOPLE.
SO IF THERE'S A RELATIVELY LOW
LEVEL OF TRANSMISSION IN THE
COMMUNITY, AS MORE PEOPLE
INTERACT CLOSELY WITHOUT
PROTECTIONS OF SOCIAL DISTANCING
AND MASKS, THE CHANCES ARE THAT
THE RISK OF TRANSMISSION WILL BE
HIGHER.
>> SO WHAT GOES THROUGH YOUR
HEAD WHEN YOU SEE IMAGES LIKE
THOSE FROM LAKE GENEVA OVER THE
MEMORIAL DAY WEEKEND, WITH
PEOPLE REALLY NOT SOCIAL
DISTANCING OR WEARING MASKS AND
VERY TIGHTLY CROWDED?
>> YEAH.
WELL, GOODNESS, A LOT OF THINGS.
SO I'M FROM LAKE GENEVA.
I GREW UP IN WALWORTH COUNTY.
SO WHEN I SEE THOSE IMAGES, I
MOSTLY FEEL SORT OF A SENSE OF
PURPOSE AND MISSION.
LIKE THESE ARE MY PEOPLE.
AND FEEL REALLY CHALLENGED TO
KNOW ARE WE DOING EVERYTHING WE
CAN, AM I DOING EVERYTHING I CAN
TO HELP OUR TEAM IN PUBLIC
HEALTH AND OUR HEALTH CARE
COLLECT THE RIGHT INFORMATION,
COMMUNICATE INFORMATION IN THE
RIGHT WAY THAT PEOPLE KNOW WHAT
THEY NEED TO KNOW TO STAY SAFE.
BECAUSE WHEN I SEE THAT PEOPLE
ARE LIVING THEIR LIVES, PEOPLE
ARE TRYING TO BE HAPPY AND LIVE
A FULL LIFE, AND I THINK WE IN
PUBLIC HEALTH, THAT'S WHAT OUR
GOAL, IS FOR PEOPLE TO DO THAT.
BUT I THINK THE SUCCESS IS GOING
TO BE HOW WELL CAN WE DO THOSE
THINGS AND SAY WE'RE IN THIS
TOGETHER.
THE PUBLIC HEALTH TEAMS AND THE
HEALTH CARE TEAMS, WE ALL NEED
TO FEEL ALIGNED AND HAVE THE
SAME MISSION.
SO I FEEL LIKE SITTING IN A
PLACE WORKING IN PUBLIC HEALTH
HOW DO WE SUPPORT PEOPLE TO KEEP
THEM SAFE AND DO THE THINGS THEY
LOVE TO DO.
THAT'S REALLY OUR GOAL.
>> SO YOU SEE THOSE IMAGES.
DO YOU FEEL AS THOUGH PEOPLE ARE
IGNORING THE MESSAGE THAT YOU
RELAY DAY AFTER DAY, WEEK AND
MONTH AFTER MONTH?
>> IT'S HARD TO KNOW.
I THINK PEOPLE HEAR THE MESSAGE
THAT THERE IS A RISK IN THE
COMMUNITY.
BUT I ALSO THINK THAT PEOPLE ARE
SMART ENOUGH TO SEE THAT THE
LEVELS ARE RELATIVELY LOW AND
THEY MAKE DECISIONS.
THE THING I THINK IS HARD FOR
PEOPLE TO UNDERSTAND IS THAT THE
THINGS THAT WE'RE DOING NOW IN
THE SUMMER IDEALLY IS GOING TO
HELP US DRIVE THE EPIDEMIC TO A
SMALL ENOUGH LEVEL THAT WHEN
RESPIRATORY VIRUS SEASON PICKS
UP, WHEN FLU STARTS CIRCULATING
AND MORE PEOPLE ARE GETTING
COLDS, WE WANT TO BE IN A GOOD
POSITION THAT WE KNOW WHERE ALL
THE CORONAVIRUS CASES ARE AND
HOW TO CONTAIN THEM.
IF WE DON'T DO THAT AND THE RISK
IS THAT COVID-19 SPREADS IN A
SIMILAR FASHION AS SEASONAL
INFLUENZA, WE COULD REALLY BE IN
A SITUATION OF HAVING A BIG
SURGE.
SO I THINK THAT PEOPLE
UNDERSTAND HOW THE VIRUS IS
TRANSMITTED.
WHAT I FEELING WE NEED TO DO A
BETTER JOB COMMUNICATING IS HOW
IMPORTANT IT IS FOR US TO SHRINK
THIS EPIDEMIC AS SMALL AS WE CAN
TO GET PREPARED FOR THE FOUR TO
SIX MONTHS DOWN THE ROAD.
>> SO SHOULD THERE BE THAT SURGE
IN FOUR TO SIX MONTHS DOWN THE
ROAD, IS WISCONSIN BETTER
PREPARED THAN WE WERE WHEN THIS
FIRST STARTED?
>> OH, YES.
DEFINITELY SO.
SO THE TWO BIGGEST TOOLS THAT I
THINK WE HAVE THAT WE DIDN'T
HAVE TWO MONTHS AGO ARE THE
ABILITY TO TEST A LARGE NUMBER
OF PEOPLE.
NOW, IT'S NOT AS HIGH-- WE'RE
PROBABLY NOT AT THE CAPACITY
WHERE WE TEST EVERY SINGLE
PERSON WHO HAS ANY SYMPTOM ON
THAT LIST, WHICH CAN BE, YOU
KNOW, SORE THROAT, HAD HEADACHE.
IF WE REALLY WANTED TO TEST
EVERYBODY WITH THOSE SYMPTOMS,
WE WOULD PROBABLY STILL HAVE
SOME SPACE TO GO FOR TESTING.
BUT WE'VE MADE MANY STRIDES IN
TESTING CAPACITY.
THE OTHER THING THAT IS
IMPORTANT AND DIFFERENT A COUPLE
MONTHS AGO IS THE SHORTAGE OF
PERSONAL PROTECTIVE EQUIPMENT.
HOSPITALS ARE NOW NOT IN THE
CRISIS SITUATION WITH MASKS.
THERE'S STILL A SHORTAGE.
WE'RE NOT NECESSARILY POSTPONING
NEEDED CARE BECAUSE OF THAT.
SO WE'RE NOT EXACTLY WHERE WE
WANT TO BE, BUT IN A MUCH BETTER
OF BEING READY THAN WE WERE SAY
TWO MONTHS AGO.
>> ALL RIGHT, WE LEAVE IT THERE.
DR. RYAN WESTERGAARD, THANKS
VERY MUCH.
>> GLAD TO BE HERE.
>> THE WARMER WEATHER ACROSS THE
STATE AND CORONAVIRUS FATIGUE
HAS SOME PEOPLE READY TO ENJOY
SOME SUMMER FUN.
TOURIST DESTINATIONS LIKE THE
WISCONSIN DELLS ARE EXPECTING TO
SEE ANOTHER INFLUX OF TOURISTS
FROM ILLINOIS, IOWA AND
MINNESOTA.
TOURISM BUSINESSES THROUGHOUT
THE DELLS ARE CAUTIOUSLY
OPTIMISTIC HEADING INTO A SUMMER
SEASON LIKE THEY'VE NEVER SEEN
BEFORE.
VISITORS ONCE AGAIN ARE STARTING
TO STOP, SHOP AND EAT AT SOME OF
THEIR OLD FAVORITES.
>> YOU KNOW, THEY'RE SLOWLY
TRICKLING IN.
BUT, YOU KNOW, WE'LL TAKE WHAT
WE CAN GET RIGHT NOW AND
HOPEFULLY WE CAN BRING THEM ALL
BACK SOON.
>> ONE OF THE PLACES YOU WILL
NOTICE IMMEDIATE CHANGES ARE IN
RESTAURANTS, WHERE NEW
GUIDELINES ARE BEING USED TO
LIMIT THE SPREAD OF CORONAVIRUS.
>> WE TOOK OUT SOME TABLES AND
WE WENT EVERY OTHER TABLE FOR
SEATING, SPACED THEM SIX FEET
APART.
WE TOOK OUT HALF OUR BAR SEATS
AND KIND OF SPACED OUT SOME
SEATS THERE.
WE ALSO FOLLOW THE GUIDELINE OF
ONLY SIX PEOPLE IN A GROUP.
EVERY HOUR WE WIPE DOWN
RAILINGS, DOOR HANDLES, IF
ANYTHING THAT PEOPLE TOUCH.
WE ALSO WEAR FACE MASKS TO
PROTECT OURSELVES AND THE
CUSTOMERS.
PLANNING FOR THE WORST AND HOPE
FOR THE BEST.
>> FROM THE WISCONSIN DELLS, WE
HEAD UP NORTH, WHERE TOURISM
MEANS FISHING, BOATING AND CABIN
SEASON.
ALONG WITH THOSE TOURISM DOLLARS
ALSO COMES AN INCREASED RISK FOR
A COVID-19 OUTBREAK IN AN AREA
LARGELY SPARED SO FAR.
IN THE NORTHWOODS, MEDICAL
FACILITIES ARE NOT AS
WELL-EQUIPPED TO HANDLE THE
SURGE WHILE ALSO DEALING WITH
THE NEEDS OF ITS ELDERLY
POPULATION.
WITH THE MEMORIAL DAY WEEKEND IN
THE REAR VIEW MIRROR, WHAT WAS
LEARNED MOVING FORWARD?
KRYSTAL WESTFAHL IS THE DIRECTOR
OF THE MINOCQUA CHAMBER OF
COMMERCE.
>> THANK YOU FOR HAVING ME.
>> SO WHAT WAS MEMORIAL WEEKEND
LIKE?
WAS IT BUSY?
>> SURPRISINGLY, YES.
WE ACTUALLY WERE A LITTLE TAKEN
ABACK BY HOW BUSY IT ACTUALLY
WAS.
WE KNEW THAT FOLKS WERE LOOKING
TO COME HERE EARLY ON WHEN THE
"SAFER AT HOME" ORDERS WERE PUT
IN PLACE FROM ILLINOIS AND
WISCONSIN.
WE HAD SEEN A RUSH OF FOLKS
COMING UP, ESPECIALLY FOR THOSE
SECOND HOME OWNERS.
WE WERE NOT TRACKING LEISURE
TRAVEL QUITE AS CLOSELY.
WE KNEW WE WERE HAVING SECOND
HOME OWNERS COMING UP.
RESORTS, THEY WERE STILL GOING
STRONG.
THEY COULD SOCIALLY DISTANCE.
BUT LEISURE TRAVEL ACTUALLY
SPIKED.
AND WE HAD ON AVERAGE PRETTY
CLOSE TO A NORMAL MEMORIAL DAY
WEEKEND UP HERE.
>> WOW.
THAT IS AMAZING TO HEAR.
WHAT STEPS ARE BUSINESS DOING TO
STAY SAFE FOR EMPLOYEES AND
CUSTOMERS AS WELL?
>> WELL, WE CERTAINLY HAVE A
MIXED BAG UP HERE.
WITH THE SUPREME COURT RULING
COMING SO CLOSE TO MEMORIAL DAY
WEEKEND, SOME OF OUR BUSINESSES
WERE COMPLETELY UNPREPARED FOR
OPENING AS THEY NEEDED TO BE.
PERSONAL PROTECTIVE EQUIPMENT
FOR THEMSELVES, EMPLOYEES,
VISITORS WERE A SCARCITY WITHIN
OUR SMALL BUSINESSES.
YOU KNOW, WE'RE TALKING TWO OR
THREE EMPLOYEES PER RETAIL SHOP,
YOU KNOW, AND SMALL, TIGHT
QUARTERS.
THESE ARE OLD BUSINESSES THAT
HAVE BEEN AROUND FOR A LONG
TIME, OLD BUILDING STRUCTURES.
SO SOCIAL DISTANCING WAS
SOMETHING THAT WE WERE ALL
WORKING THROUGH KIND OF ON THE
FLY.
I WOULD SAY THAT, YOU KNOW, IT
WAS SPLIT ALMOST BY THIRDS WITH
PEOPLE THAT WERE NOT OPENING
BECAUSE THEY JUST WEREN'T READY.
THOSE THAT WERE GOING TO BE
OPEN, DUE TO THE FACT THAT THEY
HAD ALREADY SORT OF BEEN
PREPARING FOR THIS.
AND THEN, THIRDLY, WE HAD SOME
BUSINESSES THAT WERE JUST ABLE
TO, YOU KNOW, KIND OF MAKE IT
WORK.
SO IT WAS ALL ACROSS THE BOARD.
WE WERE JUST REALLY ENCOURAGING
FOLKS TO CALL AHEAD, MAKE SURE
THAT THE BUSINESS THEY WERE
GOING TO BE GOING TO WAS OPEN
AND ABLE TO ACCOMMODATE WHAT
THEY NEEDED.
>> HOW WERE ANY OF THE
RESTRICTIONS BEING MET BY THE
VISITORS WHO WERE COMING INTO
TOWN?
>> THAT IS ALSO A MIXED BAG.
WE NOTICED ON AVERAGE IN THE
NORTHWOODS AS A WHOLE, NOT JUST
IN THE MINOCQUA-ARBOR
VITA-WOODRUFF AREA I SUPPORT,
BUT BOULDER JUNCTION,
PRESQUE ISLE, YOU A THE WAY UP
TO THE BORDER, WE WERE SEEING
BUSINESSES REPORTING, YOU KNOW,
FOLKS NOT SOCIAL DISTANCING, NO
MASKS BEING WORN TO THE OTHER
EXTREME, WHERE PEOPLE WERE JUST
COMING UP AND STAYING IN THEIR
RESORT, NOT LEAVING THE PLACE
THAT THEY WERE COMING TO VISIT.
SO, AGAIN, IT WAS A MATTER OF
EXTREMES THROUGH THE WEEKEND
BETWEEN BUSINESSES AND VISITORS.
A LOT OF FOLKS DIDN'T KNOW QUITE
WHAT THEY WERE SUPPOSED TO BE
DOING AT THIS POINT, I THINK.
>> SO IS THERE A CERTAIN AMOUNT
OF TREPIDATION ON THE PART OF
THE LOCAL COMMUNITY AS TOURISTS
FLOCK BACK INTO THE AREA OR IS
THIS EXACTLY WHAT BUSINESSES
HAVE BEEN WAITING FOR?
>> AGAIN, IT'S A MATTER OF
EXTREMES.
WE DO HAVE A LOT OF LOCALS THAT
ARE LETTING US KNOW DAILY THAT
THEY ARE NERVOUS ABOUT THIS.
WE DO HAVE A RURAL HOSPITAL
SYSTEM, AND WE KNOW CERTAINLY AN
OLDER POPULATION, YOU KNOW, PER
CAPITA.
SO WE'RE LOOKING AT THAT WITH
WORRIED EYES.
BUT I'M THINKING THAT THE PEOPLE
THAT ARE ABLE TO TAKE THE STEPS
TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY ARE SAFE
ARE GOING TO CONTINUE TO BE
SAFE.
SO, YOU KNOW, WE HAVE HAD A
LITTLE BIT OF A-- YOU KNOW,
A CLASH, I WOULD SAY, BETWEEN
LOCALS AND TOURISM AND WHAT
THEY'RE LOOKING TO THE TOURISTS
TO DO ON A LOCAL STANDPOINT AND
THE TOURISTS THINKING THAT THIS
IS THE SAME VACATION THEY'VE
ALWAYS EXPERIENCED AND THEY WANT
TO CONTINUE TO COME UP TO THE
NORTHWOODS AND CONTINUE THAT
SAME EXPERIENCE.
FROM ONEIDA COUNTY STANDPOINT,
MULTIPLE CHAMBERS OF COMMERCE,
PRIOR TO MEMORIAL WEEKEND WE
ACTUALLY PUT TOGETHER A PR PIECE
TO BE PLAYED ON THE LOCAL NEWS
TO TALK ABOUT MAKING SURE THAT
EVERYBODY IS PERSONALLY
RESPONSIBLE AND TO BE NICE.
THERE ARE A LOT OF PEOPLE THAT
ARE AFRAID RIGHT NOW.
AND WE WANT EVERYONE TO BE NICE
TO ONE ANOTHER.
THAT'S WHAT WE PRIDE OURSELVES
ON HERE IN THE NORTHWOODS.
>> IN THE ABSENCE OF STATEWIDE
"SAFER AT HOME" RULES, SPOKE
ABOUT BUSINESSES HAVING TO KIND
OF SCRAMBLE WHEN THAT ENDED SO
SOON BEFORE MEMORIAL DAY.
DO YOU WISH THERE WERE FIRM KIND
OF LOCAL ORDERS THAT WOULD GIVE
GUIDANCE?
>> I THINK WE DO HAVE LOCAL
ORDERS THAT GIVE GUIDANCE.
I THINK THE BIGGER ISSUE IS THAT
IF PEOPLE AREN'T FOLLOWING THOSE
GUIDELINES, THERE ARE NO
REPERCUSSIONS.
SO THEY ARE JUST GUIDELINES.
SO BUSINESSES CAN FOLLOW THOSE
OR THEY MAY NOT.
>> WHAT LESSONS WERE LEARNED
FROM THE MEMORIAL DAY WEEKEND?
I KNOW THAT SOME TOURIST SPOTS
IN THE STATE ARE KIND OF
RETHINKING SOME OF THEIR
DISTANCING METHODS.
>> YEAH.
THAT IS SOMETHING THAT WE ARE
ACTUALLY DISCUSSING TODAY
THROUGH A COUNTY-WIDE PHONE CALL
WITH OUR LOCAL BUSINESSES TO
FIND ARE OUT WHAT WERE THE
THINGS THAT THEY LEARNED FROM
THEIR EXPERIENCE AND HOW THEY'RE
GOING TO DO BETTER WITH THE NEXT
BIG RUSH.
OF COURSE, THAT WILL BE COMING
UP FAIRLY SOON WITH 4TH OF
JULY HOLIDAY WEEKEND AND WEEK.
THAT IS REALLY KIND OF OUR NEXT
BIG BENCHMARK.
WE CERTAINLY SEE TOURISM
THROUGHOUT THE WHOLE COURSE OF
THE SUMMER.
MEMORIAL REALLY KICKS IT OFF.
I WOULD SAY THE OPENING FISHING
WEEKEND REALLY KICKS OFF TOURISM
IN THE NORTHWOODS.
BUT WE'RE WANTING TO MAKE SURE
WE HAVE THE STEPS IN PLACE AND
THE GUIDANCE TO GIVE TO OUR
BUSINESSES.
BUT IT'S ALL OF US WORKING
TOGETHER.
WE AS CHAMBERS OF COMMERCE AND
AS LEADERS OF OUR COMMUNITIES,
WE DON'T HAVE ALL OF THE ANSWERS
NOW, EITHER.
WE'RE ALL IN THIS TOGETHER.
WE'VE HEARD THAT ENOUGH AND IT'S
VERY TRUE.
SO WE'RE LOOKING TO LEARN FROM
ONE ANOTHER AND MAKE THOSE BEST
PRACTICES.
>> ALL RIGHT.
WELL, WE REALLY APPRECIATE YOUR
TIME ON THIS AND WE HOPE THAT
YOU HAVE A SUCCESSFUL AND SAFE
SUMMER.
KRYSTAL WESTFAHL, THANKS VERY
MUCH.
>> THANK YOU SO MUCH.
>> THAT IS OUR PROGRAM FOR THIS
WEEK.
BE SURE TO JOIN US ONLINE
THROUGHOUT THE WEEK FOR UPDATES
ON THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC AT
pbswisconsin.org AND THEN CLICK
ON THE NEWS TAB.
THANK YOU FOR WATCHING "HERE AND
NOW."
STAY WELL, WISCONSIN,
AND WE WILL SEE YOU NEXT WEEK.
I'M FREDERICA FREYBERG.
HAVE A GREAT WEEKEND.
? ?
>> FUNDING FOR "HERE AND NOW"
IS PROVIDED BY THE FOCUS FUND
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OF PBS WISCONSIN.