State officials had expected that late summer and early fall gatherings would bring a surge of cases in October. They also anticipated the wave would put more people in the hospital — and lead to more deaths. That’s come to pass. As the end of October nears, the surge seems poised to spill into November.
“We’re in a strengthening winter storm” Health Commissioner Jan Malcolm told reporters Wednesday, comparing the spread to a snowstorm where people must work together to keep everyone safe.
She urged Minnesotans to pitch together and watch out for each other as they would in a snowstorm. In the case of COVID-19, it means wearing masks in public gathering spaces, social distancing and staying home if you feel ill.
"What we're looking at is massive testing, either in pop-up kiosks in places we can go, and asking 18- to 35-year-olds pull over for 30 seconds and take this test,” Walz said. “And we get a result instantly. This one we get in 15 minutes. And we can start to break this."
The governor didn’t offer many details about how the testing would work, when it would begin or how residents could access it.
But the experts — and Minnesotans who live with SAD (seasonal affective disorder) — say there are ways to prepare. Like creating and following a schedule that designates a time for sleep, meals, exercise and self care. Read more from MPR News reporter Faye Williams.
Democrats are trying to flip the Senate and retain the House, which if successful would give Gov. Tim Walz single-party control for at least the rest of his current term. But Republicans say a balanced approach is a better way to govern.
MPR News data reporter David H. Montgomery took a closer look at the votes throughout the state from 2016. Here’s where Trump's support came from and why he outperformed many previous Republican presidential candidates in the state.
