Here & Now

VP Pence Campaigns in Ripon; Wis. Health Officials On Surge

Crowd:

Four more years!

Frederica Freyberg:

Vice President Mike Pence spent the day campaigning in Wisconsin. First with an appearance at Ripon College followed by a dairy farm visit in Onalaska.

Mike Pence:

President Trump took unprecedented action. He put the health and safety of America first from the very earliest days. Before the month of January was over, the president suspended all travel from China, set up the White House coronavirus task force.

Frederica Freyberg:

Pence’s visit here happens the same week that Dane County and the city of Milwaukee started mandatory mask ordinances. Residents not wearing masks in public, indoor spaces are subject to fines. All of this as Wisconsin’s positive COVID cases continue to spike at a record rate.

The daily case counts this week hit record highs rising into the 900s. State Epidemiologist Ryan Westergaard Thursday saying the epidemic indicators are mostly bad and potentially getting worse. Here’s what Health Secretary-designee Andrea Palm had to say about the rising numbers.

Andrea Palm:

These numbers are not the result of more testing. Our percent positive remains high and these numbers are the result of significant community spread here in Wisconsin. What does that mean? It means we need to double down on protecting our families and our communities. It means staying home and limiting our trips to the essentials.