Milwaukee Now In Phase 3 Of COVID-19 Safety Plan

MILWAUKEE, WI — Officials in Milwaukee are urging city residents to be cautious now that health officials are allowing places like restaurants, bars and child care centers to open up amid the ongoing coronavirus pandemic in Wisconsin.

"We ask the public to continue being vigilant when it comes to wearing masks in public and social distancing," Alderwoman Nikiya Dodd, Alderwoman Chantia Lewis, Alderwoman Milele A. Coggs, Alderman Khalif J. Rainey, Alderman Russell W. Stamper, II and Alderman Ashanti Hamilton said in a joint statement on Monday. "Remember that we will all get through this together."

On Friday, health officials in Milwaukee said the city would be advancing to Phase Three of its "Moving Milwaukee Forward Safely" plan. Under Phase Three, bars and restaurants can open their dining rooms at 25 percent capacity. It's the first time that bars and restaurants have been able to allow indoor seating in the city since mid-March.

Under the plan, now that Milwaukee has reached Phase Three, other businesses, such as child care facilities, can increase capacity to 50 percent of maximum occupancy with a maximum of 250 people. Public and private gatherings will be allowed at 25 percent capacity with a maximum of 250 people.

A number of restaurants said they were not going along with the plan, citing a lack of advanced notice to have important health precautions in place.

The owners of Odd Duck, located in Milwaukee's Bay View neighborhood, pilloried Mayor Tom Barrett's announcement, which came on Thursday.

"We think it is incredibly irresponsible of our city to give us NO WARNING and NO GUIDELINES for reopening. We want to stay healthy and be able to take care of you responsibly. That takes money, information, time and planning," they said.

Just down the road in Bay View, the Highbury Sports Bar, was more succinct, but equally wary of opening during the pandemic. "Human safety is more important. Highbury will not be opening anytime soon."

Milwaukee's officials say additional details can be found at city.milwaukee.gov/health/coronavirus.