Milwaukee County suburban communities agree to shift to next phase of reopening

Suburban communities in Milwaukee County are planning to shift into the next phase of their reopening plans on Friday.

Suburban health departments, representing 18 municipalities, are sharing practices and guidance with businesses throughout their communities about how to reopen safely amid the pandemic. They’ll shift into phase two of their reopening plan, which includes capacity limits for restaurants, bars, salons and gyms.

Ann Christiansen, director of the North Shore Health Department, said that the plan is in line with the Badger Bounce Back plan and a phased reopening plan suburban health departments have been discussing for weeks.

“Our focus is still that phased reopening,” she told reporters. “We certainly don’t want to turn that dial up too quickly because we know that the impacts that will have on the healthcare system will not be good.”

The city of Cudahy has already moved on to the next phase of reopening. The city of Milwaukee is not part of the plan and has its own safer-at-home order.

“Here in Milwaukee we remain very concerned, quite honestly,” Mayor Tom Barrett said. “We are trying to follow the healthcare and the science as much as possible.”

The Medical College of Wisconsin, the Metropolitan Milwaukee Association of Commerce and the Milwaukee 7 Economic Development Partnership also launched an online toolkit Tuesday to help businesses reopen safely.

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