Minneapolis recommends masks; two Minnesota counties in high COVID range

Apr 29, 20220

Richard Tsong-Taatarii, Star Tribune count

Mask-wearing in public, indoor places is being recommended once again in Minneapolis in response to rising COVID-19 infections and hospitalizations. Minnesota is one of the only states outside of the northeastern U.S. with counties in the federal high-risk range for COVID activity.

An uptick in COVID-19 activity prompted the city of Minneapolis on Thursday to recommend public indoor mask-wearing again, even though the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention considers Hennepin County at low risk.

The seven-day rate of new COVID cases more than tripled since mid-March to 227 infections per 100,000 people in Minneapolis, and its rate of new COVID-19 hospitalizations more than doubled to 4.8 per 100,000, the city stated in a news release. The hospitalization rate is above Minnesota's COVID-19 caution threshold.

"Minneapolis has used science to guide its public health strategies throughout the pandemic," the city said in its statement. "Data show that because of these strategies we have saved lives."

https://www.startribune.com/minneapolis-recommends-masking-two-minnesota-counties-in-high-covid-range/600168896/