Indoor Mask Use Recommended in Olmsted County With Rise in COVID
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Rochester, MN (KROC-AM News) - Olmsted County has joined the list of Minnesota counties where the community transmission of COVID-19 has risen to a level that carries a recommendation for the indoor use of face coverings.
Olmsted County Public Health says the Rochester area is now experiencing “substantial” community transmission. That means the county has either had 50 new cases per 100,000 people over the last 7 days or an 8 percent positive test rate for the same period. The Minnesota Department of Health today reported 19 new COVID 19 cases in Olmsted County. Winona, Houston, and Fillmore counties are also seeing substantial community spread of the virus, while it is rated high in Dodge County.
Experts say masks work; More Minnesota entities reinstate mandates
ROCHESTER, Minn. (FOX 47) A bit of deja vu for Minnesotans, as reinstated mask mandates pop up around the state.
Mayo Clinic announcing its return of universal masking Monday, regardless of vaccination status. Citing the COVID Delta surge nationwide, and locally in Dodge and Waseca counties. Olmsted County Public Health is also recommending masking indoors.
“Mayo Clinic was more proactive with that, partly because we see it coming, and partly because we serve a population of vulnerable sick people here,” Mayo Clinic Infectious Disease Specialists Dr. John O’Horo said.
O’Horo co-authored a study recently released by the nation’s leading hospital, showing the effectiveness masks have in preventing COVID-19. The study was released the same week the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommended people to wear facial coverings indoors, vaccinated or not, in high transmis
City s emergency operations center team will meet this week to discuss response to pandemic changes. Written By: Randy Petersen | ×
Masks are worn by many people outside in downtown Rochester Friday morning, May 14, 2021. (Ken Klotzbach / kklotzbach@postbulletin.com)
At least one Rochester City Council member is ready for a new mask mandate.
“I’ve been flooded with emails and people calling,” council member Molly Dennis told the council Monday afternoon. “The surge of the highly contagious variant is sharply rising.”
She pointed to a COVID-19 risk assessment that shows Olmsted County at high risk and said she’d like to see the council discuss the option of voting on a mask requirement to protect children, people who cannot be vaccinated and others.
COVID-19 uptick spurs mask talk, uncertainty in Olmsted County postbulletin.com - get the latest breaking news, showbiz & celebrity photos, sport news & rumours, viral videos and top stories from postbulletin.com Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday newspapers.
It has been a hot, dry summer. There is some relief in sight with temps only expected to be in the 80s by late week, but before then we’re going to have to deal with dangerous heat. Olmsted County is urging residents to prepare for extreme heat on Wednesday when the high temp is expected to be in the mid-90s with heat index readings or feels like temps easily soaring into the triple digits.
Public Health Officials say, “Anyone can be overcome by extreme heat, but some people are at higher risk than others. They include the elderly, the very young, and people with mental illness and chronic diseases. Signs of heat-related illness vary but can include heavy sweating, paleness, muscle cramps, tiredness, weakness, dizziness, headache, nausea or vomiting, and fainting. Heat exhaustion can lead to heatstroke, which can cause death or permanent disability unless treated immediately.” Make sure to check on your elderly family members, friends, and neighbors!