Madison, WI – “We need your help.” That’s the underlying message from statewide health care workers in the latest “Stop the COVID Spread!” coalition public education announcement that begins airing on broadcast TV, radio, and digital platforms throughout Wisconsin today. The new ad—the fifth put out by the coalition—comes as Wisconsin continues to face unrelenting COVID-19 case counts with hospitals throughout the state operating near or at full capacity.
Health care providers featured in the new coalition message include Green Bay’s Bellin Health, Marshfield Clinic Health System, and UW Health in Madison, with a joint plea to the public to help curb the spread of the virus: “We’re on the frontlines. It’s our job to save lives and get people better. But fighting this pandemic puts our families at risk, too. We need your help. Mask up, wash your hands, and if you go out, stay at least six feet apart. Please, do this for your family, and ours.”
The real-life perspectives shared in the spot are those of Chelsea Rangel, RN, and Hilary Faust, MD, from UW-Health; Sumithra Tirunagaram, MD, and respiratory therapist Karen Masanz, from Marshfield Clinic Health System; Jessie Schaumberg, RN, and Paul Casey, MD, from Bellin Health.
“While news of forthcoming COVID-19 vaccinations is encouraging, we need to remain vigilant in practicing safe behaviors to curtail virus spread,” said Wisconsin Hospital Association president and CEO Eric Borgerding. “Our frontline health care heroes need your help, as their ability to provide care to our loved ones and neighbors is being strained. Overcoming this health care crisis requires all of us working together.”
“You don’t have to put your life on the line like the folks who work in healthcare, grocery stores, restaurants, or hardware stores. All you have to do is wear a mask, practice social distancing and do your part to stop the spread of the coronavirus to keep people from dying,” added Brandon Scholz, president and CEO of the Wisconsin Grocers Association. “Is that too hard to do and too much to ask?”
Since its launch in October, the “Stop the COVID Spread!” coalition has grown quickly to include more than 125 of Wisconsin’s leading health care, business and advocacy organizations. The organizations have joined together in a campaign to educate the public about the seriousness of the growing crisis in Wisconsin and the critical and growing need for preventative measures. A full list of member organizations is below.
You can watch the full video at: https://youtu.be/GIRW7xTyhDM
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For more information about the Stop the Spread coalition and the importance of safe behaviors for both public and state economic health, visit www.wha.org/stopthecovidspread
Bellin Health – Kelly McBride Moore, Kelly.McBrideMoore@bellin.org
Marshfield Clinic Health System – John Gardner, gardner.john@marshfieldclinic.
UW Health – Andrew Hellpap, AHellpap@uwhealth.org
Wisconsin Hospital Association – Myranda Tanck, mt@platform-communications.com
Wisconsin Grocers Association – Brandon Scholz, brandon@wisconsingrocers.com
Wisconsin Manufacturers and Commerce – Nick Novak, nnovak@wmc.org
Wisconsin Restaurant Association – Tracy Kosbau, tkosbau@wirestaurant.org
Wisconsin Counties Association – Mark D. O’Connell, oconnell@wicounties.org
The growing coalition is currently made up of the following organizations:
- Wisconsin Hospital Association, CO-CHAIR
- Wisconsin Counties Association, CO-CHAIR
- Wisconsin Grocers Association, CO-CHAIR
- Wisconsin Manufacturers and Commerce (WMC), CO-CHAIR
- Wisconsin Restaurant Association, CO-CHAIR
- ACHE-WI
- Adams County Chamber of Commerce & Tourism
- Alliance of Health Insurers
- Arts Wisconsin
- Ashland Area Chamber of Commerce
- Associated Builders & Contractors of Wisconsin
- Association of Wisconsin Surgery Centers, Inc.
- Association of Wisconsin Tourism Attractions
- Badger Bay Management Company
- Bayfield Chamber of Commerce & Visitor Bureau
- Beaver Dam Area Chamber of Commerce
- Burlington Area Chamber of Commerce
- Cottage Grove Chamber of Commerce
- Deforest Windsor Area Chamber of Commerce
- Destination Madison
- Destination Wisconsin
- Eagle River Area Chamber of Commerce
- Eau Claire Area Chamber of Commerce
- Elkhorn Area Chamber of Commerce & Tourism Center, Inc.
- Fitchburg Chamber of Commerce
- Fort Atkinson Area Chamber of Commerce
- Forward Janesville, Inc.
- Fox Cities Chamber of Commerce and Industry
- Fox West Chamber of Commerce
- Germantown Area Chamber of Commerce
- Grafton Area Chamber of Commerce
- Greater Green Bay Chamber
- Greater Union Grove Area Chamber of Commerce
- Greater Wausau Chamber of Commerce
- Greater Wisconsin Agency on Aging Resources, Inc.
- Green Bay Packers
- Hartford Area Chamber of Commerce
- Hayward Area Chamber of Commerce
- Heart of Wisconsin Chamber of Commerce
- Hudson Area Chamber of Commerce & Tourism Bureau
- Jefferson Chamber of Commerce
- Kenosha Area Chamber of Commerce
- LeadingAge Wisconsin
- League of Municipalities
- Marinette Menominee Area Chamber of Commerce
- Marshfield Area Chamber of Commerce & Industry
- Medical Society of Milwaukee County
- Mequon-Thiensville Area Chamber of Commerce
- Metastar
- Metropolitan Milwaukee Association of Commerce (MMAC)
- Middleton Chamber of Commerce
- Milwaukee Brewers
- Milwaukee Bucks
- Monona East Side Business Alliance
- Monroe Chamber of Commerce & Industry
- Mosinee Area Chamber of Commerce
- New Berlin Chamber of Commerce & Visitors Bureau
- New Richmond Area Chamber of Commerce & Visitors Bureau
- Oregon Area Chamber of Commerce
- Oshkosh Chamber of Commerce
- Park Falls Area Chamber of Commerce
- Pharmacy Society of Wisconsin
- Portage Area Chamber of Commerce
- Portage County Business Council
- Pulaski Area Chamber of Commerce
- Racine Area Manufacturers and Commerce
- Rhinelander Area Chamber of Commerce
- Rural Wisconsin Health Cooperative
- Shawano Country Chamber of Commerce
- Sheboygan County Chamber of Commerce
- Skiing Wisconsin
- St. Germain Area Chamber of Commerce
- Stoughton Chamber of Commerce
- Sun Prairie Chamber of Commerce
- The Arc Wisconsin
- The Chamber of Manitowoc County
- Tomah Chamber & Visitors Center
- United Way Wisconsin
- UW System
- VISIT Lake Geneva
- Visit Milwaukee
- WAMD-Wisconsin Association of Post-Acute and Long-Term Care Medicine
- Washburn Area Chamber of Commerce
- Watertown Area Chamber of Commerce
- Waukesha County Medical Society
- Waunakee Area Chamber of Commerce
- Waushara Area Chamber of Commerce
- West Bend Area Chamber of Commerce
- Whitewater Chamber of Commerce
- Wisconsin Academy of Family Physicians
- Wisconsin Assisted Living Association
- Wisconsin Association for Home Health Care
- Wisconsin Association for Hospice and Palliative Care
- Wisconsin Association of Health Plans
- Wisconsin Association of Local Health Department and Boards (WALHDAB)
- Wisconsin Association of School Administrators
- Wisconsin Association of Surgery Centers, Inc.
- Wisconsin Bankers Association
- Wisconsin Broadcasters Association
- Wisconsin Builders Association
- Wisconsin Cancer Collaborative
- Wisconsin Chapter, American College of Emergency Physicians
- Wisconsin Credit Union League
- Wisconsin Dental Association
- Wisconsin Director of Nursing Council
- Wisconsin Electric Cooperative Association
- Wisconsin Health Care Association / Wisconsin Center for Assisted Living
- Wisconsin Healthcare Business Forum
- Wisconsin Literacy/Wisconsin Health Literacy
- Wisconsin Medical Society
- Wisconsin Office of Rural Health
- Wisconsin Organization of Nurse Leaders
- Wisconsin Petroleum Marketers & Convenience Store Association
- Wisconsin Primary Health Care Association
- Wisconsin Propane Gas Association
- Wisconsin Psychiatric Association
- Wisconsin Public Health Association
- Wisconsin Realtors Association
- Wisconsin Safety Council
- Wisconsin Society of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons
- Wisconsin Speech-Language Pathology and Audiology Association
- Wisconsin State Telecommunications Association
- Wisconsin Swimming
- Wisconsin Technology Council
- Wisconsin Transportation Builders Association
- Wisconsin Utilities Association
