Public Health director throws support behind Rochester's mask mandate

Graham Briggs, director of Olmsted County Public Health, voiced his support for Rochester’s new mask mandate on Tuesday, calling mask-wearing one of the ‘best tools in the toolbelt’ — along with social distancing — to prevent the spread of the coronavirus. 

“[Wearing] a mask doesn’t prevent me as a person from getting Covid-19, but it helps prevent me from spreading it to someone else,” said Briggs. “I think there’s a good likelihood that it will impact and lower transmission.”

Briggs’ comments came while updating Olmsted County’s Board of Commissioners on the current situation regarding Covid-19 in our area. Briggs did not push the idea of a mandatory mask requirement for the entire county, noting the vast majority of Olmsted County’s Covid-19 cases have been located in Rochester.

Briggs said Public Health is tracking some concerning signs regarding transmission levels, but said hospitalization and ICU rates continued to remain at stable and encouraging levels. In lockstep with national trends, a growing share of cases locally involve young adults. 

“We have not stressed the system at all,” said Briggs. “In fact, the system is doing very well right now, but that’s because of all the people we have working on this. We’re lucky that we’ve somewhat kept this in check.”

Briggs also said guidance on in-person learning for Olmsted County school districts would come in the next few weeks. 

Mayo Clinic in support of mask mandate

Mayo Clinic has stepped up its support for Rochester’s mask requirement.

At Monday’s city council meeting, Dr. Jack O’Horo, an infectious disease physician speaking on behalf of the Clinic, said the city’s largest employer was in favor of the city matching its own policy for patients and staff, requiring them to mask up on hospital property. 

“If the city can achieve stronger compliance with masking by making it mandatory, Mayo Clinic supports the mayor and city council in doing so,” said Dr. O’Horo.

Additionally, other Clinic physicians have voiced their support for masking in recent days, with one local infectious disease expert saying masks may reduce risk of transmission by upwards of 50 to 70 percent. 

The city-wide requirement goes into effect Wednesday.

Isaac Jahns is a Rochester native and a 2019 graduate of the Missouri School of Journalism. He reports on politics, business and music for Med City Beat.

Cover photo: File / Canva