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A federal judge in Washington, D.C. on Wednesday blocked the Biden Administration from enforcing a U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention pause on certain evictions during the pandemic, ruling the CDC lacked the legal authority to halt evictions. The pause was enacted under the Trump administration and extended through June by the Biden administration. It didn’t bar all evictions, but allowed renters affected by COVID-19 to present a declaration to temporarily keep them in their homes. Milwaukee still saw hundreds of eviction filings each month but far fewer than in typical years. Before the eviction pause, as many as 260,000 households were at risk of eviction. Here’s an earlier story from Wisconsin Watch on how renters facing eviction can get help.
Top Stories
Federal judge vacates CDC’s nationwide eviction moratorium — The Washington Post
COVID-19 vaccine supply tops demand in Wisconsin, with ‘herd immunity’ distant — Wisconsin State Journal
DHS awaits FDA approval of Pfizer for ages 12 and up — WisBusiness
Wisconsin tops 600k COVID-19 cases as vaccine rollout starts to slow — WXPR
About 92,000 children under 6 in Wisconsin to receive additional food assistance — Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
Nearly half of Wisconsin prisoners have gotten at least 1 COVID-19 vaccine dose — Wisconsin State Journal
Vice President Kamala Harris touts Biden administration infrastructure plan in Milwaukee visit, tours clean energy labs — Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
Regional COVID-19 deaths on the decline — Eau Claire Leader-Telegram
Tourism spending drops $71 million in Racine County due to COVID-19 — Journal Times
COVID cases at Cedar Grove school with masks optional — Fox6 News
Area wedding venues begin to reopen with relaxed restrictions, but the pandemic has taken a toll — Wisconsin State Journal
Milwaukee health officials hold vaccine clinic at Bucks game — WUWM
Quotable
“Herd immunity is sort of a destination, which we may not reach. But along the path to herd immunity, there are a lot of milestones that will make us feel normal.”
Ajay Sethi, epidemiologist and director of the Master of Public Health Program at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, speaking to WPR.
Data to note
Here’s a look at the Department of Health Services’ vaccine dashboard, which showed Wednesday that 43.7% of Wisconsinites have received at least once vaccine dose, including 81.1% of those ages 65 and older. Meanwhile, 35.3% of Wisconsinites are fully vaccinated, including 75.8% of those older than 65. Racial disparities persist in distributing vaccines. The shares of Black, Hispanic and Native American residents to receive a dose remain below that of white residents.
Public health officials continue to urge Wisconsinites to wear masks indoors and practice physical distancing until vaccinations are more widely distributed — particularly as more contagious virus variants spread. On Wednesday, the state DHS reported a seven-day average of 626 new daily cases. The state also reported 13 new COVID-19 deaths, bringing the full toll to 6,863.
WisContext offers this visualization:
Find a vaccine site near you
DHS and the federal government have partnered with Vaccine Finder to help Wisconsinites find vaccinations. Vaccinations are often by appointment, but providers are increasingly offering walk-in options. In addition, people seeking COVID-19 shots can text their ZIP code to 438829 to find nearby vaccine providers.
COVID-19 fact-checking
Not sure if something you heard about COVID-19 is true? FactCheck.org offers this page full of explainers — and debunking of common distortions — about the disease to help you sort out fact from fiction.
Resilient Wisconsin
People helping others and showing resilience during this time of anxiety. Send suggestions by tagging us on social media — @wisconsinwatch — or emailing us: tips@wisconsinwatch.org.
It’s Mother’s Day again, and COVID is still here. Here’s how the pandemic has changed my mothering. — Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
South Beloit High School to host two graduation ceremonies — Beloit Daily News
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Federal pandemic protection from evictions blocked — 5/5/21 is a post from WisconsinWatch.org, a non-profit investigative news site covering Wisconsin since 2009. Please consider making a contribution to support our journalism.
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