Gov. Evers urges, doesn’t order people to stay home

(The Center Square) – Wisconsin’s governor is asking, once again, that people stay home, stay away from others, and continue to wear their masks.

Gov. Tony Evers used a primetime speech on television Tuesday night to once again warn people about Wisconsin’s spiking coronavirus numbers.

“Wisconsin has become a national hotspot. We once led our region in containing this virus, but now surges in our state rival what we saw in New York City this spring,” Evers said Tuesday night. “Our case numbers continue to climb. Since just last Friday, we’ve added more than 25,000 new cases. It took us seven and a half months to get to 100,000 cases. But it only took 36 days to add another 100,000. The way things are going, it will take us only 20 days to reach another 100,000.”

The governor then suggested largely the same things he has suggested since March: Social distancing and wearing a mask.

“Please, cancel the happy hours, dinner parties, sleepovers, and playdates at your home. And if a friend or family member invites you over, offer to hang out virtually instead,” Evers added. “And unfortunately, with the holidays just around the corner, we recommend that you plan to celebrate just with your own household. You can still invite others to join virtually, but we advise you not to go to any gatherings with people who are not in your immediate home.”

Evers urged people in Wisconsin to follow his advice. He did not, however, order any new restrictions or lockdowns. His past attempts at mandating closures or crowd limits have been blocked by the courts. Judges have said the governor could work with lawmakers to institute some restrictions, but that hasn’t happened.

Assembly Speaker Robin Vos, R-Rochester, on Tuesday said it’s been six months since he has spoken with Evers about anything.

“Gov. Evers has consistently said he will not even talk to us until we have our own plan, which I think is idiotic,” Vos told reporters Tuesday night. “As I’ve said how many times, you have to have the ability to sit down and talk about things that you think are important.”

Vos said he reached out to the governor Tuesday night, but did not connect with Evers himself.

Evers said in his Tuesday speech that he plans to introduce new legislation to help fight the coronavirus. But he didn’t say what that legislation will do.