Governor: Don’t Panic, Prepare for Coronavirus

Governor Tim Walz, Speaker of the House Melissa Hortman (DFL-Brooklyn Park), and others stress simple solutions, like washing your hands and staying home when you are sick as ways to keep coronavirus at bay. As of Monday, the U.S. death toll from the virus reached 5.

A group of politicians met Monday at the capital in St. Paul to address the coronavirus issue. There are no reported cases yet in Minnesota, but the state does have testing kits available.

“Preparation is not panic,” said Minnesota Governor Tim Walz. “Preparation is the right thing to do.”

At a jam-packed news conference outside of the governor’s office, Walz and other politicians say they are prepping for the inevitable.

“This will get to Minnesota at some point and preparation is the way we are able to contain it,” Walz said. “That we’re able to keep the numbers lower. That we’re able to make sure our health care system is able to respond to that.”

Coronoavirus Cases Rising

The coronavirus started in China and already has infected 85,000. Coronavirus has claimed less than 10 lives in the US, but five have been in the Seattle metro area.

To stop something similar from happening in Minnesota, the group of politicians wants everyone to follow simple, basic steps.

“It’s really important that folks wash their hands and it’s really important that folks stay home when they are sick,” said House Speaker Melissa Hortman (DFL-Brooklyn Park). “We don’t want to see any spread of the flu and we don’t want to see the spread of anything else.”

“We talk all the time about covering your cough with sleeve if you don’t have a handkerchief,” said MDH Commissioner Jan Malcom. The MDH currently has coronavirus information on their website. “Washing your hands way more frequently and way more thoroughly than maybe you usually do, and avoid touching your face.”

State officials want to emphasize that the risk of getting coronavirus remains very low. But it’s much higher for vulnerable people and senior citizens.

Osseo Schools shared last week how they are encouraging good hygiene in coronavirus threat.

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