Update: 3:09 p.m.
Alderwoman Marina Dimitrijevic is introducing legislation in the Common Council to require wearing masks in public in the city of Milwaukee.
“We are seeing far too many communities across the nation experiencing huge spikes in the spread of COVID-19 as they reopen and do not require people going to stores, restaurants, bars and other businesses to wear masks. A clear mask requirement can help us reduce the spread of COVID-19 and prevent us from joining those ‘hot spot’ locations where the virus is quickly infecting entire communities,” she said in a statement.
A Common Council committee will debate the legislation at 9 a.m. Thursday morning.
Update, 1:01 p.m.
More than 130 businesses have now signed up for the push to have businesses require masks in the City of Milwaukee.
Original story
Over 70 Milwaukee restaurants and businesses have joined together, requesting a city mandate to require masks in public spaces.
In a letter written to Mayor Tom Barrett and Common Council President Cavalier Johnson, Fiserv Forum, Bartolotta Restaurants, Colectivo Coffee, Lowlands Group, Pabst Theater Group and many other businesses are calling on them to require that masks be worn by patrons and workers in public spaces including stores, theaters, museums, restaurants and bars (while not consuming food or beverages) to help prevent the spread of COVID-19.
Without a city mandate, businesses say that many customers may not be compliant with their own mask requirements, resulting in a loss of business and “the risk is much higher for new outbreaks, which could result in new stay-at-home orders that put us out of business for good.”