Starting on Saturday, July 25th, Governor Tim Walz ordered a statewide mask mandate for Minnesota.
This order was put in place to slow the spread of COVID-19. We’re now joining the 31 other states across the United States that are requiring masks in some sort of way.
The mask mandate was put in place to help us move forward during this pandemic. And, if we get 90-95 percent compliance, we can reduce infection rates drastically. Like Gov. Walz said, “This is the cheapest, most effective way for us to open up our businesses, for us to get our kids back in school, for us to keep our grandparents healthy, and for us to get back that life that we all miss so much.” The mask mandate was put in place from a caring, data-driven point of view to both protect public health and get Minnesota’s economy running again.
The mask mandate requires that masks may be worn by all people. Here are the requirements:
- Anyone over the age of 5 must have a mask on indoors
- Masks must be worn indoors
- Masks must be worn on public transportation (buses, trains, and ride-sharing vehicles)
- Masks must be worn when present in a business place
You can visit the Department of Health website for more details on when masks are required to be worn and when it is acceptable to remove them.
You can do your part by getting a mask, and wearing it when required. The mask mandate was put in place to protect our health, slow the spread, and get us closer to our normal functioning society. We can do this, Minnesota. Mask up.
