MILWAUKEE, Wis. – Milwaukee Alderwoman Marina Dimitrijevic will host a hearing on Friday, January 7 on her plan to slow the spread of COVID-19 in Milwaukee by providing free and accessible COVID-19 tests to any Milwaukee resident, providing a $100 incentive for any Milwaukee resident who gets the vaccine or their booster, and bringing back an indoor mask mandate.

“The current spread of COVID-19 in Milwaukee is unprecedented so I feel compelled to act immediately,” said Alderwoman Dimitrijevic. “Under my plan, Milwaukee residents will have the ability to pick up free, at-home COVID-19 tests at public libraries throughout the city. In addition, anyone who gets vaccinated or receives their booster shot will be eligible for a $100 incentive. Lastly, I am co-sponsoring legislation to re-introduce an indoor mask mandate in Milwaukee until we leave the ‘high’ transmission category. Health Commissioner Johnson is the only person with the power to bring back the indoor mask mandate immediately, but given that she has refused to act the Council must do so. Getting vaccines in arms and making testing free and accessible is our best opportunity for slowing the spread, returning students to classrooms, and providing relief to health care workers.”

As of January 6, Milwaukee County remains in the “high” transmission category with an overall positivity rate of 35.8%, 13.4 percentage point increase from last week. 635 people in Milwaukee County are currently hospitalized with the virus, a more than 50% increase in the last week.

“We can’t allow fear of Republicans in Madison to keep us from doing the right thing. When our hospital beds are full and our schools are virtual, we need to use all the tools at our disposal to stop the spread of this virus.” added Dimitrijevic.

The Public Safety and Health Committee meeting will begin at 9 a.m. on Friday, January 7. The meeting will be televised live on the City Channel (channel 25 on Spectrum Cable and channel 99 on AT&T U-Verse in the City of Milwaukee) and via streaming video on the city website at city.milwaukee.gov/Channel25.

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