[ad_1]
MADISON, Wisconsin – Members of the Dane County Board of Health are speaking out against a county council motion that calls on public health to revoke its latest health order and mask mandate.
Dane County Resolution 157, which is presented by Supervisors Jeff Weigand, Dave Ripp and Tim Rockwell, urges Madison and Dane County Public Health Director Janel Heinrich to withdraw her last emergency order ” until the public input and the consent of the governed are obtained. . “
Dane County’s latest emergency face covering ordinance went into effect on September 10 and will be in effect until at least October 8. Unlike the previous ordinance, it provides exemptions for performers and instrument players.
RELATED: Dane Co. Extends Masks Term Through October, Includes Exemptions for Performers
In a recent letter, members of the county health board opposed the resolution, saying they find it “extremely disheartening that Supervisor Weigand chose to use his platform to present a resolution that suggests the decisions public health is not based on science, facts and data.
“This is just not true and spreads misinformation further,” the Board of Health wrote.
Dane County has consistently ranked among the most vaccinated counties in the country, but health officials cited the growing number of cases and the tens of thousands of people still unvaccinated in the county as the reason for the extension of the recent order for masks.
“The Board fully supports the use of emergency public health orders to continue to protect our community,” the Board of Health wrote. “Prescriptions are presented with careful review of the data by experienced and knowledgeable public health personnel. “
The Board of Health also said that while it values public input, the process would take too long and complicate matters during a global pandemic.
“Public health deeply values the contribution of the community and key stakeholders and works hard to build relationships and engage with partners as much as possible. However, during an emergency, taking more time to gather feedback from the community could result in further damage, ”the Board of Health wrote.
“As we continue to see people in Dane County fall ill and die from COVID-19, we must do everything in our power to protect our citizens. Wearing masks is simple and helps mitigate the spread of COVID-19. This is a proven fact. There is data to support it, ”continued the Council.
“We must continue to follow the sound, reliable and expert advice of our public health leaders on these matters,” the board concluded.
The Board of Health is made up of several health professionals including Dr Jerry Halverson, Kim Whitmore, Robin Lankton, County Supervisor Holly Hatcher, Paula Tran Inzeo, Dr Debbie Jones and City of Madison Alder Lindsay Lemmer.
You can read the full council letter here or below.
COPYRIGHT 2021 BY CHANNEL 3000. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. THIS MATERIAL MAY NOT BE POSTED, BROADCAST, REWRITED OR REDISTRIBUTED.
[ad_2]
Source link