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Milwaukee Common Council to consider new mask mandate Tuesday

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MILWAUKEE — Milwaukee's Common Council is now, and has been faced with the rapid spread of COVID-19.

Pending the final vote from the Milwaukee Common Council, we could possible see a return of a citywide mask mandate.

Two weeks ago, Common Council's Public Safety and Health Committee recommended reintroducing a city-wide mask mandate.

The full Milwaukee Common Council vote will take place on Tuesday, Jan. 18 during their 9 a.m. meeting.

"We have messaged over and over how critically important it is to be vaccinated, to be boosted and to wear a mask indoors,” Health Commissioner Kristen Johnson previously said. "We are doing everything we can."

With the Omicron variant being the most dominant and contagious strain in Milwaukee, health experts believe a mask mandate is more necessary than ever.

"A mask mandate or more people wearing masks slows the transmission of COVID-19 and what that might do is decrease the rate of hospitalizations to local hospitals that are overwhelmed and really unable to take additional patients," Dr. Jeff Pothof of UW-Health previously said.

For locals like Maddie Waller, a mask mandate is something she would like to see happen. Waller works at a grocery store and is in contact with mask-less customers every day.

"I do feel more comfortable when customers come in when they have a mask," said Waller.

Milwaukee has a mask advisory in place but no mandate.

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