The following is Gov. Tony Evers’ radio address on the Badger Bounce Back plan.
| Hi, Wisconsin, it’s Governor Tony Evers. A few weeks ago, Wisconsin had a pretty grim outlook for what COVID-19 could mean for our state. The good news is that data show that Safer at Home is working. It’s projected we have saved at least 300 lives, and perhaps as many as 1,400 lives. We have helped flatten the curve, which has resulted in fewer cases and hospitalizations, but folks, we aren’t out of the woods just yet. As you know, last week I acted to extend Wisconsin’s Safer at Home order until May 26, 2020 because as I have said all along, we are going to rely on the science and public health experts to help guide us through these challenges. That extension is going to provide our state critical time to continue building the tools we need to safely reopen our economy and ensure that it stays open. That’s where our Badger Bounce Back plan comes into play. The Badger Bounce Back plan is informed by the White House’s Guidelines and it outlines important criteria Wisconsin must meet in order for us to safely move forward. That includes increased testing and expanded lab capacity, and therefore has to have more thorough contact tracing as a result. It’s about boxing in the virus rather than boxing in people. It includes growing our supply of personal protective equipment and bolstering our healthcare workforce and capacity. What we are going to be looking for is a downward trajectory of positive COVID-19 test results as a percentage of total tests within a 14-day period. When the state has seen these efforts be successful, Wisconsin can begin to turn the dial to reopen our state and get our businesses and workers back on their feet. That’s what the Badger Bounce Back plan is all about: our resilience as a people and as a state. I hope you will join me in these efforts to stay safer at home and bounce back together. Thank you. |