COVID-19
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COVID and Campus Posted 08/31/2020
UW-Madison is an important part of our community. In this era of COVID, we recognize that decisions made on campus will affect the rest of our community. Everyone, including college campuses and other venues which bring large groups of people together, must take the necessary steps to prevent the spread of COVID-19 if we are to keep the pandemic under control. Read more » -
Housing and Homelessness in the World of COVID-19 Posted 08/18/2020
From the very beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, taking care of our homeless neighbors has been a priority. The City and County collaborated to get more than 500 vulnerable people off the streets and into safer settings that allowed for physical distancing. Read more » -
Local Municipalities Need Federal Pandemic Relief Posted 07/24/2020
I wanted to share a recent letter I sent to our Wisconsin congressional delegation as they consider funding for local governments devastated by the effects of COVID-19. Federal relief during this pandemic is crucial. Congress needs to direct funds to all local municipalities regardless of size. As I reported to Senators Baldwin and Johnson and Congressman Pocan, many of our residents are struggling with unemployment, housing and food insecurity, a lack of childcare options and possible mental health issues resulting from these troubling times. Read more » -
Mayor Satya Rhodes-Conway and Common Council Members Write to Sheriff Mahoney Posted 06/09/2020
On June 3, I joined with members of the Madison Common Council and wrote to Dane County Sheriff Dave Mahoney to ask that he considering placing incarcerated individuals who have been diagnosed with COVID-19 into the healthcare system. The letter is printed in full below. Dear Sheriff Mahoney: We write to you today to request that incarcerated individuals diagnosed with COVID-19 be placed in our local healthcare system for quarantine and proper treatment. Read more » -
"Streatery" Restaurant Recovery Program- A Message from Mayor Rhodes-Conway Posted 05/28/2020
It goes without saying that COVID-19 has presented an unprecedented challenge to our residents and our economy. This pandemic has had a disproportionate impact on the restaurant industry, having been unable to serve indoor or outdoor dining customers since March 23, 2020. I know how devastating that has been to local restaurants and their employees. Read more » -
Phase One Reopening Begins Today in Madison Posted 05/26/2020
Last week, Public Health Madison & Dane County released Forward Dane, a phased reopening plan for Dane County during the COVID-19 pandemic. The entire plan rests on active monitoring on a series of nine data-based metrics, which are displayed in a table with green, yellow, red indicators of progress. Some of these metrics include: Read more » -
Wear your Cloth Facial Coverings this Memorial Day Weekend! Posted 05/22/2020
Boating. Grilling out. Beverages. Picnics. Flags. Memories. Here in Madison, we know how to celebrate the start of summer. But summer this year will be different from any in our lifetimes. After two months of Safer at Home, I am really pleased that we have successfully flattened the curve in Madison, so far. That could easily change though, and we need to continue to be diligent. The COVID-19 virus hasn’t gone anywhere, and we are still at risk. Read more » -
A Message from the Mayor About the Heroes Act in Congress Posted 05/21/2020
I wanted to let you know that here at the City of Madison, our staff have worked thousands of hours responding to the COVID-19 pandemic – transporting people to the hospital, working on contact tracing the ill, setting up emergency shelters for the homeless, supporting essential workers with bus service and emergency child care, and countless other tasks. Plus, hundreds of staff and poll workers pulled off the most innovative, orderly and safe pandemic election possible – protecting workers and voters along the way. Feel free to share my message below. Read more » -
City of Madison Invests in the Madison Black Chamber of Commerce and the Latino Chamber of Commerce to Help Businesses During the COVID-19 Crisis Posted 05/19/2020
Equity is a top priority for the City of Madison. Our communities of color have disproportionately felt the economic impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic, and businesses owned by people of color here are struggling. As we turn our focus to economic recovery, we know that entrepreneurship and business ownership are a vital pathway toward economic empowerment, and we know that communities of color will need support in accessing the state and federal resources available to them. Read more » -
Public Health Madison and Dane County Announces Preparation Phase to Open Up Businesses in Dane County Posted 05/18/2020
Today, Janel Heinrich, the Director of Public Health Madison and Dane County issued a “Forward Dane County Plan,” a road map for how and when our county will open its economy based on the progress the community makes on a series of metrics including our testing rate, our positivity rate and the prevalence of COVID-19 in the community. Read more » -
Data and Science Will Guide Our Decision Making Posted 05/14/2020
Last evening, I was pleased to join Public Health Madison & Dane County (PHMDC) Director Janel Heinrich and Dane County Executive Joe Parisi as a new countywide public health order was issued to protect the health and safety of residents. Read more » -
Community Testing Site Now Available at Alliant Energy Center Posted 05/12/2020
On April 20th, Governor Evers released the Badger Bounce Back plan – a multi-step, data-driven plan to reopen the economy while protecting everybody’s health. The plan calls for several key steps to be in place to safely reopen, and one of them is having the capacity to test 85,000 people each week across the state. Today, the State, County, and City announced that a community testing facility is now open at Alliant Energy Center, getting us closer to that goal. Read more » -
Friday Good News Updates Posted 05/08/2020
Friday Good News Updates It is Friday, and as promised, I want to share some good news as we begin the weekend. I am pleased to announce the unveiling of the City’s new initiative LOOK FORWARD. In ways, big and small, neighbors have been supporting one another through these difficult times. Several weeks ago, I requested staff create a platform that would enable us to recognize some of the vital creative efforts going on throughout the Madison community. Read more » -
An Update on our Community and COVID-19. Posted 05/07/2020
Thank you again for staying home, for maintaining social distance when you need to go out and for wearing facial coverings. You are making a difference as we work to flatten the curve. Public Health Madison & Dane County (PHMDC) reports that this morning there were 450 people who tested positive for COVID-19 up four over a 24-hour period. Read more » -
Homegrown Harvests During the Badger Bounce Back Posted 05/06/2020
While we are all staying home due to COVID-19, interest is surging in home gardening. Many people sheltering in place are looking for things to do to keep themselves – and their kids - occupied. Read more » -
Contact Tracing’s Role in Re-Opening Wisconsin Posted 05/05/2020
On April 20th, Governor Evers released the Badger Bounce Back plan – a phased and data-driven plan for re-opening Wisconsin’s economy. The plan calls for a number of criteria to be met in order to move the next phase of re-opening the economy. One of them is a requirement that public health officials have the capacity to conduct contact tracing on everybody exposed to a person who tests positive for COVID-19. Testing for COVID-19 without contact tracing would not be successful in controlling the spread of the virus. Read more » -
A Friday Update of Some Good News and Opportunities from Mayor Rhodes-Conway Posted 05/01/2020
I really like the idea of ending the week on a positive note, so let me start by again saying thank you! Thank you for staying home, for maintaining social distancing, washing your hands regularly and wearing a face covering when you need to go out. We are flattening the curve, especially here in Dane County and it is because of all of you! Read more » -
COVID-19 Testing: Why It Matters to Re-Opening the Economy, What it Takes, and Where Things Stand Posted 04/30/2020
All we want right now is a return to some semblance of normalcy. We want to see our loved ones, go to work, and send our kids to school. But even more than that, we want to know that we and our loved ones are safe. We don’t have to look very far to see what unsafe looks like. The national news has countless stories mass illness and death, of overloaded hospitals, and people unable to get the help that they need. Read more » -
How Dangerous Is This Virus? How COVID-19 Attacks the Body Posted 04/29/2020
COVID-19, the illness caused by the coronavirus, starts when someone is infected, likely by the virus being carried in droplets from an infected person’s cough, sneeze, or breath. These droplets could be in the air or on a surface that you touch and then if you touch your eyes, nose, or mouth, you can be infected. Read more » -
Learning from the Past Posted 04/28/2020
Back in 1918, Wisconsin was struck by a devastating respiratory illness about six weeks before the end of World War I. Like today, a virus was being spread simply by the droplets emerging from people’s mouths when they coughed or sneezed. This invisible killer – known as the ‘Great Influenza’ - was spread by soldiers traveling in crowded ships holds returning from the WWI to locations around the world. The pandemic would eventually kill more people than WWI did—some 50 to 100 million people worldwide. Read more » -
A Message from Mayor Rhodes-Conway Regarding Mental Health Care and COVID-19 Posted 04/27/2020
As we continue to receive new and evolving information on COVID-19/coronavirus, many aspects of our daily work and personal routines are requiring adjustments. The unpredictability and changes in routines resulting from COVID-19 is creating stress in the workplace and with our families. When people experience stress, we naturally want to escape it, usually by finding something that feels familiar, comforting, and routine.COVID-19 is unique because it is not only adding stress to our lives, but has also taken away predictable outlets for dealing with that stress. Read more » -
Some Opportunities During this Pandemic Posted 04/24/2020
The partnerships, the creativity and the kindness offer a silver lining to this pandemic and Safer at Home order. As the weeks wear on, I think Friday is a good day to share positive updates. Please send me yours at mayor@cityofmadison.org. Thank you to everyone who has donated masks and face coverings to the city! As you may have read, we are asking all city workers to wear a face covering in public, and you are helping to make that possible. Read more » -
COVID-19 Update from Mayor Rhodes-Conway Posted 04/23/2020
I know many of us are getting weary of staying home and physical distancing during this pandemic, but look at the chart below to see how our Safer at Home efforts are working. We are indeed flattening the curve, but we need to continue to do so. Thanks for your efforts and patience! Read more » -
Earth Day in the Time of COVID-19 Posted 04/22/2020
On April 22, we celebrate the 50th Anniversary of Earth Day. Earth Day has a long and proud history here in Wisconsin. Our own Senator Gaylord Nelson help create Earth Day and spread grassroots environmental activism around the country at a time when rivers were so polluted they caught on fire. Since then, the U.S. created the Environmental Protection Agency, adopted the Clean Air Act, the Clean Water Act, and the Endangered Species Act. Read more » -
Badger Bounce Back - a Path to a Safer Recovery Posted 04/21/2020
Badger-Bounce-Back it’s a clever title, but what does it mean? Basically, a lot more testing, expanded contact tracing, more protective equipment for workers, increased health care capacity and support for folks needing isolation and 14 straight days with declines in both positive tests and reports of patients with flu-like symptoms. I call that a common sense, data-driven and safer way to reopen our economy and our community institutions. Read more » -
Mayor Rhodes-Conway's Statement in Support of First Responders during the COVID-19 Pandemic Posted 04/20/2020
Yesterday’s fire on our City’s west side serves as a stark reminder that our first responders continue to place themselves in harm’s way in order to keep us safe throughout this pandemic. While most of us have the luxury of being able to keep ourselves safe by staying home, practicing physical distancing, wearing face coverings and other protective measures, those who have chosen public service as their calling often don’t have that same luxury. Read more » -
Some good news from Mayor Rhodes-Conway Posted 04/17/2020
I was speaking to a group of employees who are hit hard by this pandemic this week, and although I could not talk about a specific end to this challenge, I did share that if there was a silver lining, it was that we have all formed so many partnerships. Think of it, we have neighbors helping neighbors, private businesses and the government, be it City, County or State, and everyone wanting to help and support the people on the front lines, medical personnel, child care workers and other essential employees, such as grocery store clerks. Read more » -
COVID-19 Update from Mayor Rhodes-Conway Posted 04/16/2020
We made it through an election during a pandemic! It was certainly not an election I would have chosen to hold, but despite the risks, thousands of area residents exercised their right to vote. And, hundreds of others volunteered to work to make sure those ballots counted, before the election, on Election Day, and of course, this past week when the final count was completed. I hope we never have to endure another challenge like this, but I remain incredibly grateful for everyone who helped to make is as successful as it was. Read more » -
COVID-19 and Some Essential City Services Posted 04/15/2020
While we work together to stay healthy and support each other, I wanted to share that there are many City services and work continuing. We have hundreds of employees deployed in the field performing essential services. Hundreds more are teleworking to keep the business of the city going. Read more » -
Homeless Services – Response to COVID-19 Pandemic-A Message from Mayor Rhodes-Conway Posted 04/14/2020
Acting rapidly to protect the homeless community and prevent the spread of the virus, the City of Madison and Dane County worked swiftly to launch a concerted effort designed to protect highly vulnerable, unhoused persons during the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic. The effort included four major elements. Read more » -
Mayor Rhodes-Conway's Statement Regarding Community Gardens and COVID-19 Posted 04/13/2020
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City of Madison Looking for COVID-19 Cloth Face Covering Donations Posted 04/10/2020
As we work together to protect each other and our community, I am asking local businesses and residents to help provide cloth face coverings for essential city staff who cannot work from home. Read more » -
Let’s Double Down on Physical Distancing and Social Solidarity Posted 04/09/2020
I am asking for your patience and vigilance as you follow our public health orders and maintain strong physical distancing and social solidarity. We continue to see sports teams in parks, large parties in people’s homes and other unwise social gatherings. This is not OK. It jeopardizes the most vulnerable in our community. Read more » -
Thank you for Supporting Our Elections! A Message from Mayor Rhodes- Conway Posted 04/08/2020
The polls for our spring elections closed at 8:00 pm on Tuesday, April 7, and we now all wait to hear the results of our votes on April 13, the date by which all absentee ballots must be received (they also must be postmarked by April 7). While we don’t yet know the full results, we have some preliminary data to share about how many people voted. Read more » -
Mayor Rhodes-Conway Update on COVID-19 Posted 04/06/2020
As I write this message, I am heartened that Governor Evers has issued an Executive Order delaying our election, but along with you, I await the next ruling from the courts before I breathe easy. We will be working to determine the best way to proceed with our election, but if you still need to submit your absentee ballot, please mail it or use the Book Drop Box at either the Pinney, Sequoia or Central Library. Read more » -
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April 2, 2020 Read more » -
Reaching Out and Helping Others Posted 04/03/2020
One of the bright spots in these troubled times is the great work City staff are doing for each other and our community. I want to share a few of these stories with you, and I encourage you to share more with us. Read more » -
Mayor Rhodes-Conway’s Statement on Rejecting Racism in Our Community Posted 04/02/2020
The COVID-19 pandemic has often brought out the best in people, however we have also seen troubling behavior directed at Asian Americans in our community. I will not cite specific instances as I never want to call attention to these expressions of hate. But I do want to call attention to the fact that targeting members of our community at a time when we all are facing significant changes and challenges is a completely inappropriate and a wrongheaded response to this or any crisis within our community. Read more » -
Mayor Rhodes-Conway’s Statement on Transportation in Regards to COVID-19 Posted 04/01/2020
The City’s Department of Transportation—Traffic Engineering, Metro Transit, and the Parking Utility—have had to respond rapidly to changing needs in our community over the past 10 days. Metro Transit has instituted a variety of protocols and route changes to protect passenger and worker safety while providing essential transportation services to our community’s first line responders and essential workers. Changes include rear door entry and exit, limiting passenger loads to 15 per bus, and scheduling buses so that each bus is cleaned between use by different drivers. Read more » -
Wisconsin is the Only State in the Nation Moving Forward with an Election at this Stage of the Pandemic Posted 03/31/2020
Madison is Asking a Federal Court to Postpone the Election, Consider Mail-in Ballot Every state with an election scheduled in the middle of their COVID-19 outbreak has decided to postpone the election – every state except Wisconsin – making our state a national outlier and not in a good way. Read more » -
COVID-19 Update from Mayor Satya Posted 03/30/2020
Staff from the City of Madison are continuing to partner with Public Health, Madison & Dane County (PHMDC), as well as the County Executive’s office, local schools, the State of Wisconsin and federal agencies to “flatten the curve,” protect the public and lessen the effects of this pandemic on our health, our workers and our economy. With our partners, we are intent on stopping the spread of COVID-19, and preserving the hospital capacity to care for the sickest. Read more » -
Complete the Census and Encourage Others to Join You! Posted 03/27/2020
The 2020 Census is here. As so much of our focus is appropriately on our community response to COVID-19, it remains critical that everyone who lives in Madison and Dane County completes the census and is counted. As we practice physical distancing, please take the opportunity to show social solidarity by completing the census, now, from the comfort and safety of your own home and encourage your friends, family and colleagues to do the same. Read more » -
Mayor Rhodes-Conway's Statement Regarding COVID-19 and Protecting the Homeless Posted 03/26/2020
The City and County are collaborating to protect residents that are without housing, most of whom are served through the shelter system. As of 3/25 we have placed about 225 people into local hotels, removing them from the shelter system and reducing their exposure to risk of transmission to the coronavirus. They include 37 families (140 people); the rest single men and women. Read more » -
Mayor Rhodes-Conway’s Statement on How to Slow the Spread of COVID-19 Posted 03/25/2020
It’s interesting to think back several weeks when we had not even heard of the term ‘social distancing’. I’m not a fan of the term – I prefer social solidarity and physical distancing. But whatever you call it, it’s now part of our everyday lives. Physical distancing may mean substantially altering what you do each day but it's critical to prevent the spread of COVID-19. What you do and don't do fundamentally impacts our community's health and well-being. Read more » -
City of Madison Actions on Coronavirus: Updated March 24 Posted 03/24/2020
The City of Madison has been working around the clock since before the first Dane County case on February 5th to slow the transmission of the COVID-19 virus and protect our community. We are actively coordinating with school, county, state and federal agencies to respond to the latest information and developments. Below are brief updates on the status of some of our efforts as of March 23rd. Expect more details in the coming days as our incredibly dedicated staff continue to work on these issues EMERGENCY ORDERS Read more » -
Mayor Rhodes-Conway's Message Today at the Press Conference with the County Executive and Public Health Director Posted 03/23/2020
First I want to say that my deepest sympathies go out to the families in Wisconsin who have lost loved ones to this virus and I want to thank the Governor for taking further steps today to stress the seriousness of this situation. Like so many other communities, the number of people with coronavirus in Dane County is going up. At present, there are 70 people who have tested positive for COVID-19 in Dane County. Read more » -
Mayor Satya Rhodes-Conway’s Statement on Food with Regards to COVID-19 Posted 03/20/2020
During this public health emergency, the City of Madison is focused on making sure our most vulnerable residents continue to have reliable access to food. City staff have been working diligently to organize, collaborate, and communicate with various food resource providers across sectors and geographies – organizations like Second Harvest Foodbank, Community Action Coalition of South Central Wisconsin, and the Wisconsin Grocers Association - to ensure that efforts to maintain food provisions are synchronized, informed, and efficient. Read more » -
Statement of Mayor Satya Rhodes-Conway on Voting with Regard to COVID-19 Posted 03/19/2020
Voting is one of our most important democratic responsibilities and rights. And while the COVID-19 pandemic raises a host of unique challenges to voting this year, it remains just ask important as ever. As City staff work to continue providing essential services during this pandemic, ensuring our community can vote remains among my top priorities. We need to make sure our voices count, and that we have a say in the future of our School Board, our State Supreme Court and that of our highest office, the Presidency. Read more » -
Mayor Satya Rhodes-Conway’s Statement on Local Business with Regards to COVID-19 Posted 03/18/2020
The City’s most immediate actions in response to the quick moving COVID-19 crisis have been to develop critical emergency operations, support our front line workers, and create responsive childcare, food, and housing systems for our community’s most vulnerable populations. We also recognize that this crisis has immediate and long-term impacts on our city’s businesses and their employees. Read more » -
Taking Care of Children Posted 03/17/2020
The City of Madison is deeply involved in the coordination of childcare arrangements for medical personnel, protective service members and essential City services staff. We are in daily communication with the Wisconsin Department of Children and Families and our colleagues at Public Health Madison and Dane County (PHMDC). We are working proactively and urgently to assess and fill childcare needs for essential workers. Read more » -
Mayor Rhodes-Conway Statement on City of Madison Actions on Coronavirus Posted 03/16/2020
The City of Madison has been working around the clock since before the first Dane County case on February 5th to slow the transmission of the COVID-19 virus and protect our community. We are actively coordinating with school, county, state and federal agencies to respond to the latest information and developments. My priorities are clear: slow the spread of the virus, protect the capacity of the city’s health care system, protect our most vulnerable populations, and continue to deliver essential public services. Read more » -
Our best defense is our collective action Posted 03/13/2020
Sharing this important information from Public Health of Madison and Dane County As the prevalence of coronavirus (COVID-19) around the world increases, we are using the best information we have to take proactive steps to protect the health of our community. We know that our recommendations have a tremendous impact on peoples’ lives, but this is a critical moment to slow the spread of this disease in our community. The sooner we slow transmission, the more cases we can prevent. Read more »