|
MADISON — Gov. Tony Evers
reiterates options for religious gatherings and services. Religious
organizations and places of worship have inquired about opportunities to
continue offering faith-based services and gatherings while still
complying with the governor’s “safer at home” order.
Gov. Evers and the
Wisconsin Department of Health Services (DHS) Secretary-designee Andrea
Palm issued a Safer at Home order to mitigate the spread of COVID-19,
effective at 8 a.m. on Weds., March 25, 2020. This order remains in
effect until 8 a.m. on Fri., April 24, 2020, or until a superseding
order is issued.
This order applies to the
entire state. All Wisconsinites must stay at home as much as possible
and non-essential businesses and operations must cease, with limited
exceptions for minimum basic operations and working from home. All
public and private gatherings of any number of people that are not part
of a single household or living unit are prohibited, except for the
limited exceptions contained in the order.
Under the governor’s
order, churches and religious entities are considered essential. Any
gathering must include fewer than 10 people at a time if it occurs in a
room or confined space. Thus, churches and religious entities wishing to
conduct services while still complying with the governor’s order may,
for example, conduct services via:
Parking lots with congregants staying in cars, avoiding person-to-person contact;
Streaming online; and
Having small gatherings (fewer than 10 people in each room) with multiple services.
Churches and religious
entities are encouraged to review and comply with all DHS guidelines,
including guidelines for community and faith based organizations
available here.
The governor’s Safer at
Home order is enforceable by any local law enforcement official,
including county sheriffs; however, the governor’s office has not asked
law enforcement to supervise or take enforcement steps against religious
gatherings. We continue to ask local law enforcement to assist local
communities and congregations understand the governor’s Safer at Home
order and help folks take precautions to keep themselves, our neighbors,
and our communities safe. |
