Gov. Tony Evers announced new efforts to distribute personal protective equipment to schools, food processors, and businesses across the state on Tuesday.
The Wisconsin Emergency Management agency will begin shipping nearly 2 million cloth face masks and more than 4,200 infrared thermometers to K-12 public, charter, and private schools throughout the state, according to a release. The Wisconsin Department of Agriculture, Trade, and Consumer Protection is also helping to facilitate the delivery of approximately 60,000 masks to local food processors and businesses.
“Whether it's a school, cheese plant, or restaurant, we are doing everything we can to ensure that everyone has access to the essential resources and PPE they need to prevent the spread of COVID-19,” said Gov. Evers.
A survey was sent to school administrators in mid-June to determine their interest in protective equipment based on existing enrollment information. At least 398 public school districts, 23 charter schools and 617 private schools indicated they would like to receive supplies
“As our economy continues to reopen, we know businesses want to protect their customers and workers, and schools across our state are preparing to reopen safely for our kids, educators, and staff, so these efforts now are critically important to ensure they have the resources and supplies they need,” said Gov. Evers.
In addition to the supplies, the Department of Public Instruction created guidance for schools centered around the use of cloth masks and thermometers. This guidance was distributed to schools earlier this month and is available by clicking here.
