City Of Goodhue issued the following announcement on July 4.
Continue our fight against COVID-19
Many community members may be asking yourself, “when will this COVID-19 pandemic be over?!” The answer is, “not for a while, we are in this for the long haul.” As a community, we all need to take actions to help reduce the chances of getting sick. As we are turning the dial and starting to reopen businesses to the public and are able to eat at many of our favorite local restaurants and bars we need to make sure we are doing our best to slow the spread of COVID-19.
When COVID-19 first appeared in Minnesota, many people were motivated to flatten the curve. Now, many months in, the pandemic has left many people feeling drained. As motivation dips, people are growing more lax about social distancing and safety guidelines—and potentially putting themselves and others in harm’s way.
We, as Minnesotans, have worked very hard to slow the spread of COVID-19 by staying home, limiting contact with those outside of our households, extra cleaning, wearing masks and the list goes on. We don’t want to undermine months of not seeing our families and friends, planning and recent progress in managing the pandemic by not continuing to take safe precautions. Now that businesses are beginning to reopen, it’s crucial that people continue to follow guidelines to avoid back-sliding. It may help to remember that safety precautions such as social-distancing and wearing masks are really about the common good. Positive COVID-19 cases are growing among younger people (in the nation, state, and Goodhue County). While younger people are less likely to become hospitalized or die from COVID-19, they could easily transmit it to more vulnerable people. In keeping yourself safe, you’re also improving public health, ensuring that hospitals can meet demand and quite possibly saving lives.
With the reopening of restaurants, bars and businesses we have seen a steep increase in COVID-19 cases locally and statewide. In Mankato, over 100 people tested positive for COVID-19 after gathering at two bars over one weekend, June 12-14. In Minneapolis over 30 more positive COVID-19 cases were associated with two restaurants between June 14- 21. We here in Goodhue County are not immune to this. Locally, this week, an establishment that many Goodhue County community members frequent, also had staff test positive for COVID-19. Those who had visited were asked to monitor themselves closely for symptoms and to get tested.
“While growth of COVID-19 is inevitable until a vaccine is found for the novel corona¬virus that causes it, preventable clusters could cause an escalation that could exhaust the state’s medical resources and leave vulnerable people at risk, said Kris Ehresmann, state infectious disease director.”
“When you have 56 cases associated with one location from one weekend, that is not managing the rate of growth,” said Ehresmann, imploring businesses and individuals to take precautions “so that even as we open up, we are not putting ourselves in a position to overwhelm the system we worked so hard to strengthen.”
We can all do our part to slow the spread of COVID-19.
• We can stay home as much as possible.
• Stay at least 6 feet from other people if you are in public places.
• Telework if you can.
• Avoid close contact with people who are sick.
• Wash your hands often, with soap and water. Wash for at least 20 seconds.
• Always wash your hands after being in a public place.
• Always wash your hands after blowing your nose, coughing, or sneezing.
• If soap and water are not available, use hand sanitizer that is at least 60% alcohol.
• CDC recommends that you wear a cloth mask over your nose and mouth in grocery stores and all other public places where it is hard to stay 6 feet away from others.
• When you wear a cloth mask in public, remember:
• Masks can help to stop your germs from infecting others. This is extra important if people without symptoms can spread the virus that causes COVID-19 disease.
• Wearing a mask does not protect you from others who may spread the virus. You will still need to wash your hands often, cover your cough, and stay 6 feet away from others.
• Wearing a mask does not mean people who are sick should be in public places. Stay home if you are sick.
Original source can be found here.
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