The trajectory of COVID-19 in Minnesota is not going as officials would like, with a record daily increase in cases over the weekend and the median age of those infected remaining in the 30s. State Health Commissioner Jan Malcolm says, “Repeating ourselves so often, and hopefully clearly, about the critical importance not only of mask-wearing, but the six feet of social distancing and the avoidance of close contacts of long duration — even outside.” Infectious Diseases Director Kris Ehresmann says, “There could be a time when we do need to dial back, if the things that we’re seeing continue to go in an unfavorable manner.”
Whatever Governor Tim Walz announces later this week about the upcoming school year might not be the end of the story, because of the continuing increase in COVID-19 cases in Minnesota. State Health Commissioner Jan Malcolm says officials have been clear that “all the scenario-planning that the schools and school districts have been doing over these last months and weeks is important and valuable because it’s very possible that schools will be using more than one model during the school year.”