Gov. Tim Walz announced a statewide mandate Wednesday requiring Minnesotans to wear face masks in stores and indoor gathering places in an effort to slow the spread of COVID-19 and prevent a second surge of hospitalizations and deaths.
When the new rule takes effect Saturday, Minnesota will join roughly 30 states that have imposed similar mask-wearing requirements in the absence of any federal act and despite sharply polarized political views.
“If we can get a 90 to 95% compliance, which we’ve seen the science shows, we can reduce the infection rates dramatically, which slows that spread and breaks that chain,” Walz said. “This is the way, the cheapest, the 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.” Continue reading.