In an effort to clamp down on the spread of the COVID-19 coronavirus, Gov. Tony Evers has ordered a statewide ban on all gatherings of 50 or more people, aligning with recommendations by the national Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Evers made the announcement on Twitter, noting he has directed Andrea Palm, Secretary of the Department of Health Services, to order the ban on mass gatherings. Businesses like grocery stores, food pantries, childcare centers, pharmacies and hospitals will be exempt from the order.

“This isn’t a decision I made lightly and we understand this will have an impact on Wisconsin workers, families, businesses and communities, but keeping folks safe and healthy has to be our highest priority,” Evers said in a Monday tweet.

Additional information will be made available during a 1:10 media call with DHS.

The latest order amends the state’s recommendation last week to cancel all gatherings of more than 250 people and comes one day after Dane County public health officials ordered the immediate closure of all schools, limited restaurants to no more than half their capacity and banned gatherings of 50 or more people.

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