Rochester City Council endorses mask mandate
The Rochester City Council voted 6-1 on Sunday night to uphold Mayor Kim Norton’s emergency order requiring masks in indoor public spaces.
In approving the motion, the council cited the rising rates of Covid-19 transmission in the community due to the omicron variant.
The emergency order took effect Sunday morning and lasts through Feb. 7.
“This is a stressful time. You can feel it in people’s heartfelt pleas and concerns, and I understand the frustration,” said Council President Brooke Carlson. “I really wish we didn’t have to do this. None of us want to do this. However, I do feel obligated to respond to the local data and trends, and the guidance from our medical and health experts in our community, to take this additional measure during this critical surge we are experiencing.”
Ward 2 Councilor Mark Bransford was the only member of the council to vote against the mandate, citing concerns for businesses.
“My heart is heavy as a leader seeing that we choose to potentially pit our citizens against each other,” said Bransford. “I know that there have been altercations in the public before, but now — with a fractured, angry and tired population — I absolutely worry that this may continue.”
Prior to the vote, the short-term mask mandate won support from both the Mayo Clinic and Olmsted County Public Health.
“We have seen from prior waves of Covid-19 that masking correlates with decreased transmission,” said Dr. Amy Williams, Mayo’s executive dean for practice. “To further protect the community, Mayo Clinic urges people to get vaccinated and boosted to prevent severe illness. We are a healthier community when we help and support one another to ensure that all are safe during these challenging times, including people who are immunocompromised and children too young to be vaccinated.”
Sean Baker is a Rochester journalist and the founder of Med City Beat.
