Rochester mayor orders citywide mask mandate to combat omicron surge
Rochester has become the latest Minnesota city to reinstate a temporary mask requirement for indoor public spaces.
The mandate begins Sunday, Jan. 16 and will be in effect until 11:59 p.m. on Monday, Feb. 7, unless repealed sooner.
Mayor Kim Norton issued the emergency mask order Saturday morning after days of discussion with members of the city council.
It marks the first time the city has issued a mask requirement since mid-August. That mandate, however, only lasted for three days after the council voted 5-2 to rescind an emergency order from the mayor.
This time around, with cases surging due to the arrival of the Covid-19 omicron variant, Norton said she would consult members of the council before bringing forth any new language. The announcement on Saturday suggests the order has the support of a majority on the council.
In the latest seven-day period, Olmsted County has recorded 2,876 cases of Covid-19, a staggering 473 percent increase from the week before. The percent positivity rate of testing remains at nearly 30 percent.
Despite the surge in cases, hospitalizations have remained relatively consistent with December levels. Early evidence suggests the omicron variant comes with less risk for severe illness than the delta variant.
Still, with transmission skyrocketing due to omicron, public health officials say the sheer volume of cases could cause a major strain on hospitals — both because of new patients as well as staff shortages.
Rochester joins a handful of other Minnesota cities — including Minneapolis, St. Paul, and, most recently, Duluth — that have enacted mask mandates as a result of this latest spike in Covid activity.
Under the Rochester order, violation of the mask mandate will not be a criminal offense, though businesses do reserve the right to enforce trespassing laws if an individual refuses to comply with the policy.
There are also some exceptions to the order, including children two years old or younger, individuals who are actively eating or drinking, and athletes in participating in youth sports. More FAQs can be found here.
Sean Baker is a Rochester journalist and the founder of Med City Beat.
Cover photo: File / Licensed via Canva
