For the safety of visitors and employees, all county buildings will require the public to wear a cloth face covering when inside beginning Wednesday, July 1, 2020. Chippewa County continues to encourage visitors to make an appointment or conduct business via phone when possible.

According to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), cloth face coverings should not be worn by children under the age of 2 or anyone who has trouble breathing, is unconscious, incapacitated, or otherwise unable to remove the mask without assistance. Visitors are encouraged to call the department they need to do business with to make other arrangements, if they or someone they are with meets any of these conditions.

Chippewa County asks visitors to follow these additional steps to slow the spread of the virus: •Cover your coughs and sneezes with your elbow or sleeve, or a tissue and then throw the tissue in the trash and wash your hands afterwards.

•Wash your hands often with soap and water for 20 seconds, especially after going to the bathroom or before eating. If soap and water are not readily available, use an alcohol- based hand sanitizer that contains at least 60% alcohol.

•Avoid touching your face – especially your eyes, nose and mouth – with unwashed hands.

•Stay home if you have cold- or flu-like symptoms, for ten days after your illness onset or three days after your fever resolves without fever reducing medicine, and avoid close contact with people who are sick.

For contact information for individual departments, visit co.chippewa.wi.us.