In response to the COVID-19 outbreak, the Racine County Emergency Operations Center announced a housing plan to support hospitals, essential workers, and residents with special needs.
“Racine County has again come together to help ensure our communities are prepared for all scenarios as the COVID-19 outbreak continues to unfold,” County Executive Jonathan Delagrave said. “This plan will help us keep those working on the front lines healthy, ensure our health care systems can provide care to all who need it, and give those with special needs a place to go to prevent further spread of COVID-19.”
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The plan unveiled Sunday includes the following components:
Hospital overflow: Local officials are partnering with the Wisconsin Emergency Operations Center to allow Racine County hospitals to utilize the overflow site under development at Wisconsin State Fair Park, if local hospitals reach capacity.
Essential workers: Hotels have been reserved in eastern, central, and western Racine County for essential workers including first responders and health care workers. Essential workers who will stay at hotels include those who cannot live at their homes due to circumstances such as a sick family member, and essential workers who become sick and need to recover in a safe, non-medical setting.
Residents with special needs: Local officials have identified an isolation center for individuals who meet the following criteria: tested positive for COVID-19 by a health care professional; need safe shelter; have been referred to the isolation center by a hospital, licensed health care provider, or public health department; are an able-bodied adult (or a minor with guardian/parent) without needing medical intervention.
All referrals will be coordinated through a central referral line managed by the Racine County Human Services Department. The site is expected to be announced soon.
“We are so grateful for the tireless work of our health care workers, public health departments, first responders, and many other community partners from across the county to mitigate the impact of COVID-19 in Racine County. Our efforts are making a difference, and we urge our communities to continue to stick together to get through this unprecedented public health emergency,” County Executive Delagrave said.