Officials look toward a return to widespread masking as concerns about case numbers, delta variant grow

Milwaukee Journal Sentinel

Elected and health officials are encouraging a return to more widespread mask-wearing as concerns about rising cases and the spreading delta variant grow.

The state's case numbers have been on an upward trajectory, reaching nearly 1,000 new cases Monday, according to the state Department of Health Services.

In Milwaukee, Mayor Tom Barrett on Tuesday recommended that all Milwaukeeans wear masks in groups and in indoor settings outside their homes because of transmission of COVID-19 even among some vaccinated people.

Milwaukee County Executive David Crowley, too, announced a return to more stringent masking requirements for county employees, calling the pace at which cases are increasing in the county “alarming.”

The announcements came as the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention called for universal mask-wearing in schools and as the Brewers reported that star outfielder Christian Yelich had tested positive for COVID-19 despite being vaccinated.

Yelich received the single-dose Johnson & Johnson vaccine in April as part of a team vaccination event. He has been placed in quarantine for at least 10 days.

Marquette University President Michael R. Lovell announced late Tuesday that he has also tested positive for COVID-19. He said in the statement that he was vaccinated in spring but did not reveal which vaccine he recieved.

Milwaukee could still return to mask mandate

Milwaukee has moved back to the “substantial transmission” category, with up to 75.7 cases per 100,000, Barrett said. The city’s percent positive rate has also increased to the “moderate transmission” category, he said.

“Those numbers were significantly lower just two and three weeks ago,” he said.

He said he was making the recommendation after talking with Milwaukee Health Commissioner Kirsten Johnson and based on CDC guidance.

There will be no enforcement of mask-wearing at this time.

“This is a tough request to make because we felt like we were getting life back to normal, and we really don’t want to use the enforcement because we’re not sure that it’s going to be effective right now,” Barrett said. “But we certainly have the hope that Milwaukeeans will embrace masks once more as an effective tool to care for themselves and their community.”

Milwaukee’s citywide mask mandate, which is no longer in effect, was created through ordinance not a public health order.

Barrett said he would not rule out returning to a mask requirement in the city.

On Tuesday, six members of the Milwaukee Common Council urged Barrett and Johnson to consider re-enacting an indoor mask mandate if the city reaches 100 or more cases per 100,000 people. They said they were introducing legislation to require masks inside if the transmission level were to reach that threshold.

”Introducing this file allows us to act swiftly on the matter, should the need arise,” the letter from Alds. Marina Dimitrijevic, Nik Kovac, Nikiya Dodd, JoCasta Zamarripa, José Pérez and council President Cavalier Johnson states.

They also encouraged Barrett to require government employees to provide proof of vaccination or submit to regular COVID-19 testing, in addition to providing cash rewards to incentivize unvaccinated residents to seek out the vaccine.

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”Increasing vaccinations and mitigating disease spread will help protect our unvaccinated children and keep our local economy open for business,” the council members’ letter states.

Barrett also said that the massive celebrations downtown following the Milwaukee Bucks’ championship win last week has raised concerns about the spread of the virus.

Barrett said the city would be watching COVID-19 cases for links to the large gatherings, but he also said he did not know whether the city had enough contact tracers to determine how much of an impact the Bucks gatherings could have on case numbers.

Because it can take more than a week for symptoms to appear, the full impact is not yet known, he said.

City officials’ largest concern is for people who weren’t vaccinated.

County to return to more stringent employee mask requirements

In announcing the new county requirements, Crowley raised concerns specifically about the delta variant.

He also encouraged anyone going into any public building to wear a mask regardless of vaccination status.

And starting Monday, he said, the county will be tightening employees’ masking mandates by requiring that all employees wear masks in county facilities regardless of vaccination status.

Yelich case serves as example of breakthrough infection

“Look no further than Christian Yelich to answer the question whether there’s breakthrough cases. He certainly is an example of a breakthrough case,” said Ben Weston, medical services director for Milwaukee County’s Office of Emergency Management.

The New York Times reported last week on a study that found the Johnson & Johnson vaccine may be less effective against the delta variant.

The state has not been able to provide data that breaks down breakthrough cases in Wisconsin by vaccine and it is not clear which strain of the virus Yelich has.

Experts told the Times that a second dose, ideally of Pfizer or Moderna, might be the most ideal solution to preventing infection.

Latest COVID-19 numbers

New cases reported: 983
New deaths reported: 1
Number hospitalized: 186 (intensive care: 62); up 101 patients from a month ago
Seven-day average of daily cases: 419 (up 348 cases from one month ago)
Seven-day average of daily deaths: 1 (up 1 death from one month ago)
Seven-day average positivity rate — as a share of all tests given: 4.6%
Total cases since the start of pandemic: 618,298
Total deaths: 7,340

Latest vaccine numbers

Total doses administered: 5,792,993
Daily doses administered: 2,795
Seven-day average of daily doses: 5,562
Wisconsin residents with at least one dose: 3,003,290 (51.6% of the population)
Residents who are fully vaccinated: 2,858,904 (49.1% of the population)
Adults who have received one dose: 2,841,902 (62.4% of the 18+ population)
Adults who are fully vaccinated: 2,719,085 (59.7% of the 18+ population)
Residents ages 12 to 15 with at least one dose: 96,814 (32.7% of age group)
Residents ages 16 to 17 with at least one dose: 61,931 (42% of age group)
Residents ages 18 to 24 with at least one dose: 241,148 (44.2% of age group)
Residents ages 25 to 34 with at least one dose: 360,585 (48.6% of age group)
Residents ages 35 to 44 with at least one dose: 403,202 (56.5% of age group)
Residents ages 45 to 54 with at least one dose: 420,539 (58.8% of age group)
Residents ages 55 to 64 with at least one dose: 567,963 (69% of age group)
Residents 65 and older with at least one dose: 851,061 (83.7% of age group)

Total variant cases of concern

Updated 7/27

Cases of the alpha (B.1.1.7) variant: 3,619
Cases of the beta (B.1.351) variant: 65
Cases of the delta (B.1.617.2) variant: 147
Cases of the gamma (P.1): variant: 321

Contact Drake Bentley at (414) 391-5647 or DBentley1@gannett.com. Follow him on Twitter at @DrakeBentleyMJS.