Mask Requirements Lifted at Local Colleges, Most Hennepin County Buildings

There’s another mask update, this one impacting local colleges and Hennepin County government buildings.

Students and staff at North Hennepin Community College were no longer required to wear masks indoors on Friday. The policy applies to all colleges and universities in the Minnesota State system, which also includes Hennepin Technical College.

On Monday, visitors to most Hennepin County buildings will no longer be required to wear a mask. However, some county buildings may still require masks such as correctional and detention facilities, and health care settings.

Visitors who have tested positive for COVID-19 or are experiencing COVID-19 symptoms should not enter county buildings. If these visitors must enter, they should wear a mask.

Minnesota State and Hennepin County are following the latest CDC guidelines on whether masks should be required. The CDC guidelines use a combination of three metrics to determine whether mandatory masking is needed. They include: new COVID-19 admissions per 100,000 people in past seven days, the percent of staffed inpatient beds occupied by COVID-19 patients and total new COVID-19 cases per 100,000 people in past seven days.

According to the latest Minnesota Department of Health hospital data released Friday, the number of new COVID-19 hospital admissions has fallen to 7.3 per 100,000 residents, the lowest since Aug. 11.

Also See: Golden Valley Council Votes to End Mask Mandate

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