COVID-19 Update - Friday, July 31st

In order to support your families being able to take a deep breath, turn away from constant news updates, and create a new temporary normal, my office will continue posting a near-daily update on the COVID-19 public health emergency to our website and on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.

It is my hope that one reliable update each day will allow you to take a deep breath, oversee all that is happening in your own life and home, and have a reliable source of news you can count on to be up to date and accurate. As always, previous updates are on our website and linked beneath the graphic below.

My greatest concerns right now are your lives and livelihoods. We are working hard to keep you and your loved ones safe, and to fight for our small businesses in an unprecedented crisis.

COVID-19 Tips for Kids from Children's Wisconsin

Children’s Wisconsin hosted a conversation this week on social media where Children’s Wisconsin physicians share important considerations for parents, caregivers, and school staff regarding COVID-19.

You can watch the conversation here to hear them share important information and respond to common questions and concerns, including masking, screening, and testing. Importantly, parents and caregivers should contact their child’s doctor with any specific questions or to seek guidance.

Additionally, Children's Wisconsin has shared the following resources regarding COVID-19 and children:

Help! My kid won’t wear a mask

Children’s NewsHub – July 17, 2020

With mask mandates in place in a lot of communities throughout the state, parents may need a little help in getting kids to jump on board. It may take a little work but with these tips and tricks from Dr. Christine McAlpine-Tesfai, your child should be ready to help prevent the spread of COVID-19.

COVID-19 and medically complex children

Children’s NewsHub – July 6, 2020

At Children’s Wisconsin, we work closely with children who are medically complex every single day — it’s what we do. And we know their families are vigilant when it comes to keeping their kids safe and staying up-to-date on the latest medical recommendations. While kids with complex medical conditions do make up a relatively high percentage of all pediatric cases, the overall number of cases worldwide is so small that no clear conclusions can be drawn. In other words, the lack of data is a good thing, because it means there are very few cases of COVID-19 in children. Most importantly, we have not seen more severe symptoms for our medically complex children. Read more.

Common reactions to COVID-19 in children

Children’s NewsHub – April 2, 2020

While families are adjusting to new routines in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, it’s important to recognize and support increased feelings of fear or uncertainty in children. This blog shares a few common reactions children may have to the changes in their lives due to COVID-19, as well as tips for best supporting your child through each reaction.

How to talk to kids about COVID-19

Children’s NewsHub – March 16, 2020

Making sense of COVID-19 can be overwhelming and stressful, not only for adults but also for children. It’s important for an adult to help children process the information they are seeing or hearing. Here are a few tips for talking to kids.

UW-Madison - ACT/SAT Not Required for Fall Applicants

From the University of Wisconsin-Madison:

UW-MADISON WILL NOT REQUIRE STANDARDIZED TEST SCORES FOR FALL 2020 APPLICANTS

Because of the coronavirus pandemic, standardized testing has not been universally available or easily accessible. In June, the College Board, which administers the SAT, said millions of students were unable to test in the spring. The College Board urged the higher education community to show flexibility in its admissions criteria. For this reason, through a waiver of System admissions policy, prospective freshmen applying this fall to the University of Wisconsin-Madison will not be required to submit ACT or SAT scores. The university will go before the board in August to seek a longer-term waiver of the test requirement.

Fore more information about the UW-Madison admissions process, please visit their website HERE.

Waukesha County COVID-19 Cases - July

Waukesha County Health Department officials said on Wednesday during a news conference that 60% of the total reported COVID-19 cases in Waukesha County were from the month of July.

For more information about COVID-19 cases in Waukesha County, visit the health department website HERE.

For information about COVID-19 cases in Milwaukee County, visit their website HERE.

Department of Health Services Updates