Minnesota Department of Heath officials say they are gearing up to test Minnesotans who have attended recent protests. Thousands of people have been gathering together across Minnesota for over a week in response to the death of George Floyd. Floyd was an African American man who died after a white Minneapolis police officer kneeled on his neck for nearly 10 minutes.
These gatherings put many at risk for contracting COVID-19. So the State’s Commissioner of Health Jan Malcolm says her department will be stepping up testing and go back to their normal health care provider connections. But she says the health department will also be standing up some additional community-based testing.
The Coronavirus takes about a week to incubate, so Malcolm is encouraging people to get tested about a week after they have been at a large gathering.
According to Governor Walz’s current Stay Safe Minnesota Order, gatherings should be limited to 10 or fewer people, and everyone should stay at least 6 feet apart and wear masks. These guidelines are intended to slow the spread of the Coronavirus – the deadly virus that causes COVID-19. Commissioner Malcolm says the number of cases of COVID-19 is stabilizing. But as some businesses reopen and mass gatherings continue – she expects more people will get COVID-19.
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