Minnesota’s mask mandate challenged last weekend

State health officials appealed for more wearing of masks and social distancing Monday after receiving more than 80 complaints of noncompliance last weekend and a few reports of defiance of Minnesota’s new mask mandate.

While surveys show broad support for wearing masks to reduce the spread of COVID-19, state Health Commissioner Jan Malcolm said Minnesotans need to comply as much as possible to prevent the exponential rise in cases happening in other states.

“We certainly don’t want Minnesota to experience the same catastrophic results of that very, very fast growth that we have seen in Florida, Texas and other states,” she said. “We as citizens have a great deal of influence over whether that happens.” Continue reading.