Grand Forks ponders mask mandate
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Hey there, time traveller!
This article was published 01/09/2020 (1873 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.
GRAND FORKS, N.D. — “Here in Grand Forks, we have a very serious situation now,” says city Coun. Bret Weber.
On Monday night, local leaders gathered to debate a potential city-wide face mask mandate, amid a surge in the COVID-19 case count they are blaming on students returning to the University of North Dakota.
Grand Forks County has the highest number of active novel coronavirus cases in the state at 536 — nearly 100 more than No. 2 Burleigh County, and more than double Cass County.
Mayor Brandon Bochenski said 87 per cent of current positive cases are found among people between the ages of 15 and 29 years old.
“There was a small number of people who were infectious when they came here, and the spread has been happening here,” Michael Dulitz of the Grand Forks Public Health Department told council.
While many on the council appeared to oppose a face mask mandate, they did agree the city should have a better plan about the tipping point.
“We want to keep kids safe and we want to keep them in school. We don’t want something to happen where they can’t go to school,” said Coun. Ken Vein.
Other councillors pointed out neighbouring Minnesota had its largest spike in cases over the weekend, and has had a statewide mask mandate since the beginning of August.
“I’m not completely convinced it will work in the city of Grand Forks,” said Coun. Danny Weigel.
Bochenski used more evocative language, while agreeing more education is needed: “This isn’t Nazi Germany, where we can bust into houses and force people to wear masks.”
Nearly a dozen members of the public also attended the meeting to speak out against the idea.
“The question isn’t if COVID-19 is a real virus. The question is: is our response to COVID-19 appropriate for the level of risk it brings to us?” asked David Waterman.
The discussion comes at a critical time — city council is days away from a vote that could require all non-essential businesses to close again, as they did in March during the initial days of the pandemic response.
“You can’t continue locking us down. With the whole mask mandate, it scares the hell out of people,” said Scott Reinhart with Integrity Fundraisers fund management company.
“One of the best things we can do to keep our businesses open is the simple act of putting a cloth over our face,” Weber countered.
— Grand Forks Herald