On March 13, 2020, Public Health Madison & Dane County issued orders to stop mass gatherings of 250 or more people across the county to prevent the spread of COVID-19.

This order has been updated to include places of worship and religious gathering centers of over 250 people, effective March 14, 2020 at 4:00pm.

“Limiting large gatherings of people is an important tool to prevent the spread of illness. We would like to thank all the places of worship who have taken measures to protect their patron’s health and safety regardless of gathering size,” said Janel Heinrich, Director of Public Health Madison & Dane County.

Public Health has statutory authority to protect the health of the community and could limit gatherings even more in the future.

At this time, for gatherings with fewer than 250 attendees, Public Health Madison & Dane County strongly recommends the following precautionary steps:

• Older adults and individuals with underlying medical conditions that are at increased risk of COVID-19 are encouraged not to attend (including employees);
• Social distancing recommendations should be met (limit contact of people within 6 feet from each other for 10 minutes or longer);
• Proper hand hygiene and sanitation available to all attendees and employees;
• Clean and disinfect frequently touched objects and surfaces.

This is a rapidly evolving situation. For the latest information, visit the CDC’s coronavirus website , the Wisconsin Department of Health Services website , or the Public Health Madison & Dane County coronavirus page.