Golden Valley Mask Mandate Takes Effect Jan. 13
Daily new cases reported by the Minnesota Department of Health (MDH) are at record highs. MDH reported 10,719 new cases on Wednesday. Officials attribute the rise in COVID-19 cases to the omicron variant, which has some cities revisiting mask mandates.
The city of Golden Valley is among the first suburbs to require masks in public indoor settings. The mask mandate takes effect at 5 p.m. on Jan. 13. The city council made the change after a special meeting on Tuesday night.
Golden Valley Mayor Shep Harris says the high number of COVID-19 cases have had a dramatic impact on hospitals, businesses and schools. He said the council didn’t want to implement a face mask policy, but with the rising numbers, the elective body had no choice.
“This is all about safety. This isn’t about government overreach. This isn’t about individual choice. This is about trying to protect individuals as we’re continuing to go through this horrible pandemic. We’re ready for it to be over with,” said Harris.
The mask mandate applies to everyone over age 2, regardless of vaccination status.
Experts say well-fitted N95 masks do a better job of filtering out airborne particles.
