Congressman Pocan, Speaker Vos join together to urge Wisconsin residents to stay safe Madison, WI -- Keeping ourselves, our friends, neighbors, and loved ones safe is not political. That’s the message delivered by Republican Wisconsin Assembly Speaker Robin Vos and Democratic Congressman Mark Pocan, who appear together in the latest “Stop the COVID Spread!” coalition public education announcement aimed at combating the pandemic raging throughout Wisconsin. The new ad, the coalition’s fifth, will begin airing on broadcast and digital channels throughout the state today as rampant community spread of COVID-19
continues to stress the state’s health care system.

Representing different political parties, geographic areas and bodies of government, Congressman Pocan and Speaker Vos have come together for a cause that all Wisconsin residents can agree on: beating COVID-19. “After another election, it’s clear we have differences, but we can also agree,” says Speaker Vos in the ad. “We can still live our lives and be sensible and safe.” Both elected officials speak about the importance of preventative measures including wearing masks, hand washing, practicing social distancing, and staying
home whenever possible. “We have to do all we can to stay safe,” adds Congressman Pocan.

“Wisconsin needs unified responses to the COVID pandemic and aligning around a common message is critical,” said Eric Borgerding, President and CEO of the Wisconsin Hospital Association. “We’re grateful to Speaker Vos and Congressman Pocan for joining us to send the public a crucial message about working together to slow COVID’s spread.”

“We all need to do our part to stop the spread of COVID and get Wisconsin out of this public health crisis,” added Wisconsin Counties Association Executive Director Mark D. O’Connell. “As Congressman Pocan and Speaker Vos have demonstrated, keeping Wisconsin safe is something upon which we can all agree.”

Since its launch in October, the “Stop the COVID Spread!” coalition has grown quickly to include more than 125 of Wisconsin’s leading health care, business, and advocacy organizations. The organizations have joined together in a campaign to educate the public about the seriousness of the growing crisis in Wisconsin and the critical and growing need for preventative measures. A full list of member organizations is below.

You can watch the full video at: https://youtu.be/zds-d5Yq4gU

For more information about the Stop the Spread coalition and the importance of safe behaviors for both public and state economic health, visit www.wha.org/stopthecovidspread or contact one of the coalition co-chairs:

• Wisconsin Hospital Association – Myranda Tanck, mt@platform-communications.com
• Wisconsin Grocers Association – Brandon Scholz, brandon@wisconsingrocers.com
• Wisconsin Manufacturers and Commerce – Nick Novak, nnovak@wmc.org
• Wisconsin Restaurant Association – Tracy Kosbau, tkosbau@wirestaurant.org
• Wisconsin Counties Association – Mark D. O’Connell, oconnell@wicounties.org

The growing coalition is currently made up of the following organizations:

• Wisconsin Hospital Association, CO-CHAIR
• Wisconsin Counties Association, CO-CHAIR
• Wisconsin Grocers Association, CO-CHAIR
• Wisconsin Manufacturers and Commerce (WMC), CO-CHAIR
• Wisconsin Restaurant Association, CO-CHAIR

• ACHE-WI
• Adams County Chamber of Commerce & Tourism
• Alliance of Health Insurers
• Arts Wisconsin
• Ashland Area Chamber of Commerce
• Associated Builders & Contractors of Wisconsin
• Association of Wisconsin Surgery Centers, Inc.
• Association of Wisconsin Tourism Attractions
• Badger Bay Management Company
• Bayfield Chamber of Commerce & Visitor Bureau
• Beaver Dam Area Chamber of Commerce
• Burlington Area Chamber of Commerce
• Cottage Grove Chamber of Commerce
• Deforest Windsor Area Chamber of Commerce
• Destination Madison
• Destination Wisconsin
• Eagle River Area Chamber of Commerce
• Eau Claire Area Chamber of Commerce
• Elkhorn Area Chamber of Commerce & Tourism Center, Inc.
• Fitchburg Chamber of Commerce
• Fort Atkinson Area Chamber of Commerce
• Forward Janesville, Inc.
• Fox Cities Chamber of Commerce and Industry
• Fox West Chamber of Commerce
• Germantown Area Chamber of Commerce
• Grafton Area Chamber of Commerce
• Greater Green Bay Chamber
• Greater Union Grove Area Chamber of Commerce
• Greater Wausau Chamber of Commerce
• Greater Wisconsin Agency on Aging Resources, Inc.
• Green Bay Packers
• Hartford Area Chamber of Commerce
• Hayward Area Chamber of Commerce
• Heart of Wisconsin Chamber of Commerce
• Hudson Area Chamber of Commerce & Tourism Bureau
• Jefferson Chamber of Commerce
• Kenosha Area Chamber of Commerce
• LeadingAge Wisconsin
• League of Municipalities
• Marinette Menominee Area Chamber of Commerce
• Marshfield Area Chamber of Commerce & Industry
• Medical Society of Milwaukee County
• Mequon-Thiensville Area Chamber of Commerce
• Metastar
• Metropolitan Milwaukee Association of Commerce (MMAC)
• Middleton Chamber of Commerce
• Milwaukee Brewers
• Milwaukee Bucks
• Monona East Side Business Alliance
• Monroe Chamber of Commerce & Industry
• Mosinee Area Chamber of Commerce
• New Berlin Chamber of Commerce & Visitors Bureau
• New Richmond Area Chamber of Commerce & Visitors Bureau
• Oregon Area Chamber of Commerce
• Oshkosh Chamber of Commerce
• Park Falls Area Chamber of Commerce
• Pharmacy Society of Wisconsin
• Portage Area Chamber of Commerce
• Portage County Business Council
• Pulaski Area Chamber of Commerce
• Racine Area Manufacturers and Commerce
• Rhinelander Area Chamber of Commerce
• Rural Wisconsin Health Cooperative
• Shawano Country Chamber of Commerce
• Sheboygan County Chamber of Commerce
• Skiing Wisconsin
• St. Germain Area Chamber of Commerce
• Stoughton Chamber of Commerce
• Sun Prairie Chamber of Commerce
• The Arc Wisconsin
• The Chamber of Manitowoc County
• Tomah Chamber & Visitors Center
• United Way Wisconsin
• UW System
• VISIT Lake Geneva
• Visit Milwaukee
• WAMD-Wisconsin Association of Post-Acute and Long-Term Care Medicine
• Washburn Area Chamber of Commerce
• Watertown Area Chamber of Commerce
• Waukesha County Medical Society
• Waunakee Area Chamber of Commerce
• Waushara Area Chamber of Commerce
• West Bend Area Chamber of Commerce
• Whitewater Chamber of Commerce
• Wisconsin Academy of Family Physicians
• Wisconsin Assisted Living Association
• Wisconsin Association for Home Health Care
• Wisconsin Association for Hospice and Palliative Care
• Wisconsin Association of Health Plans
• Wisconsin Association of Local Health Department and Boards (WALHDAB)
• Wisconsin Association of School Administrators
• Wisconsin Association of Surgery Centers, Inc.
• Wisconsin Bankers Association
• Wisconsin Broadcasters Association
• Wisconsin Builders Association
• Wisconsin Cancer Collaborative
• Wisconsin Chapter, American College of Emergency Physicians
• Wisconsin Credit Union League
• Wisconsin Dental Association
• Wisconsin Director of Nursing Council
• Wisconsin Electric Cooperative Association
• Wisconsin Health Care Association / Wisconsin Center for Assisted Living
• Wisconsin Healthcare Business Forum
• Wisconsin Hospice and Palliative Care Association
• Wisconsin Literacy Network
• Wisconsin Medical Society
• Wisconsin Office of Rural Health
• Wisconsin Organization of Nurse Leaders
• Wisconsin Petroleum Marketers & Convenience Store Association
• Wisconsin Primary Health Care Association
• Wisconsin Propane Gas Association
• Wisconsin Psychiatric Association
• Wisconsin Public Health Association
• Wisconsin Realtors Association
• Wisconsin Safety Council
• Wisconsin Society of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons
• Wisconsin Speech-Language Pathology and Audiology Association
• Wisconsin State Telecommunications Association
• Wisconsin Swimming
• Wisconsin Technology Council
• Wisconsin Transportation Builders Association
• Wisconsin Utilities Association