Brooklyn Center Declares ‘Health Emergency’ Due to Delta Variant
Brooklyn Center residents are now under a new health emergency due to a rise in COVID-19 cases. The city council unanimously approved the emergency order in their meeting on Monday night. It takes effect immediately.
Under the policy, people are required to wear face protection inside any public city-owned buildings. The policy impacts people two years old and older.
Mayor Mike Elliott says the COVID-19 cases are on the rise in the county and he’s worried about the safety of residents.
“It’s incredibly important because we see cases start to surge up. The COVID-19 delta variant is driving up the number of new COVID-19 cases,” he said.
Brooklyn Center Health Emergency requires face coverings at all public city owned buildings.
Brooklyn Center Mayor Says The City Has One Of The Top COVID-19 Rates In Hennepin County
The move comes as the Minnesota Department of Health reported more than 1,600 new COVID-19 cases on Tuesday.
“We know that communities that have high populations of communities of color see the highest rates of COVID-19,” explained Elliott.
The pandemic policy also includes schools. However, some wonder if the city council has the authority to issue a mask mandate for schools.
“I can’t think of a more important setting to ensure that we’re masking than in schools where you have teachers and students in very closed proximity to each other,” said the Brooklyn Center leader.
Elliott says the policy will allow the city to put in place an emergency response plan to coordinate with other cities if necessary. Meanwhile, city officials hope the health declaration will positively impact and stop the spread of COVID-19.
“It’s just really important that we’re taking steps to protect the health and safety of Brooklyn Center residents and visitors,” said Mayor Elliott.
See Also: North Memorial ER Doctor: ‘We Run the Risk of Having to Live This Over and Over Again.’
