Public Health Orders

The 2019-2021 COVID-19 Pandemic has challenged towns, municipalities, counties, tribes, states and governments across the globe. In the United States and in Wisconsin in particular, local decision makers and government officials are faced with the very difficult task of determining which health regulations are reasonable and necessary to curb the spread of a communicable disease that has reached the status of global pandemic. Public Health Orders are put in place with great consideration for local circumstances and situations that would affect the greater health of the community.

There are no current Public Health Orders in place in Bayfield County related to COVID-19 or the pandemic response to the broad community or to individual communities. 

Background on Health Officer Authority

Local health officers are vested with certain powers to curtail the spread of communicable disease. These responsibilities and powers are outlined under Wisconsin State Statute 252, and include areas such as:
     1. Investigation and reporting; 
     2. Isolation and quarantine to a specific individual; 
     3. Orders that apply to specific persons, a group of persons or gathering spot, including businesses, that are deemed necessary to 
         immediately control the potential spread of a communicable disease; and 
     4. General orders impacting the public at large.