Senator Ron Latz COVID-19 Capitol Update: Morning, March 16, 2020
We are certainly in unchartered waters and are operating in uncertain times. There is much to cover around the coronavirus disease, also known as COVID-19. Included in this brief Capitol Update, you will find many informational resources that will be helpful in establishing best practices and will be of help as we navigate how to mitigate its spread. Please refer to the number of informational links below that provide, among other things, situational updates, health recommendations, school protocols, workforce questions and concerns, and relevant contact information.
I will keep this update short as I do not intend to inundate everyone with a lengthy message about COVID-19. As I stated, please refer to the attachments listed below as they will most accurately depict the current state of affairs and will be updated with the most recent information on a regular basis.
Regarding Senate business, late last evening the Minnesota Senate and House of Representatives jointly decided to put regular session activities on hold until April 14. Considering the CDC’s new guidelines that strongly suggest we cancel gatherings of 50 or more people, cancelling Senate floor sessions that incorporates 67 members and House floor sessions with 134 members, is the logical next step. Additionally, the committee schedule has been largely cancelled and members of both chambers will not be taking in-person meetings. Although I am disappointed that we will most likely have to put a hold on addressing many of the important issues this year at the Capitol for now, mitigating the spread of the virus is most important.
I will be available by phone at 651-297-8065 or via this email address, which you can find online on my Senate Contact Page. Please do not hesitate to reach out if you have any questions.
Minnesota Department of Health COVID-19 Hotline
Open: 7:00 am – 7:00 pm
651-201-3920 or 1-800-657-3903
English homepage: click here.
Spanish homepage: click here.
Hmong homepage: click here.
Somali homepage: click here.
MDH Resources
MDH COVID-19 Home: click here.
MDH Situation Update: click here.
MDH recommendations: click here.
School and Childcare Resources
Open 7:00 am – 7:00 pm daily
651-297-1304 or 1-800-657-3504
Homepage: click here.
Tracking school closures and cancellations: click here.
List of restaurants offering free lunches to students while K-12 schools are closed: click here.
MDE school protocol PDF: click here.
Walz Executive Order on School Closures: click here.
Workforce Resources
Worker protections related to COVID-19: click here
Large event cancellations or public space closures: click here.
CDC Information:
CDC “What is a high risk population?”: click here.
CDC How to protect yourself: click here.
CDC What to do if you’re sick: click here.
CDC Managing stress and anxiety: click here.
CDC Helping children during disasters: click here.
How to clean and destroy Coronavirus: click here.