JANESVILLE, Wis. (AP) — People planning on attending President Donald Trump’s rally Saturday at the Janesville airport will have to park over two miles away and take a shuttle bus to the event, the sheriff’s department said.
The rally is taking place as coronavirus cases soar in Wisconsin. The state hit a record daily high for newly reported cases on Friday, with 3,861. It was the third time in one week that a record high was hit. Hospitalizations were also at an all-time high this week.
Democratic Gov. Tony Evers has been critical of Trump for holding the rally amid the pandemic and urged the president to require those in attendance to physically distance and wear masks. At prior Trump rallies in Wisconsin and around the country many attendees do not wear masks or distance from others.
The Rock County Sheriff’s Department said Thursday that attendees of Trump’s airport rally will have to park at Blackhawk Technical College about 2.5 miles away and take shuttle buses to the event.
Rock County Public Health Department spokeswoman Jessica Turner said she was not aware of the shuttle buses or what precautions may be taken to protect riders.
“Any type of gathering presents the potential for spread of the virus, and we are currently discouraging gatherings of any kind,” she said. “We hope that anyone who does choose to attend a gathering of any kind does so in the safest manner possible, taking precautions to keep themselves and others safe. This includes wearing masks, maintaining physical distancing, and washing your hands.”