Public health officials are placing an even stricter limit on the number of people allowed at any mass gathering in Dane County and Sauk Co..

On Sunday, Public Health Madison & Dane County banned all gatherings with more than 50 people as they try to stem the spread of COVID-19 through the community effective 12:01 a.m. Grocery stores are excluded from the order.

Sauk Co. officials followed suit the next day, following Gov. Tony Evers

of a statewide ban.

Additionally,

22 school districts within the county would close immediately.

Movie theaters are included in the order, according to Janel Heinrich, Director of Public Health Madison & Dane County.

“We are going to get through this, and we are going to get through this together. I ask for everyone’s help, cooperation and patience in the time that is very difficult for all of us. This is going to be a long term thing. This is something our community is going to be working on for months, if not years," Madison Mayor Satya Rhodes-Conway said.

Heading into the weekend, county officials

on crowds at more than 250, which went into effect at 5 p.m. Friday. The next day,

to religious gatherings and issued further cautions to people who planned on attending services.

To read the full order, click

Also on Friday, Gov. Tony Evers announced all schools statewide would be shuttered Wednesday and would remain closed into next month, but noted districts could choose to close even sooner.

Full list of locations exempted from ban: