Masks required in Twin Cities government buildings, advised elsewhere - Minneapolis Star Tribune

Paul renewed mask mandates in city facilities on Tuesday and encouraged people in the Twin Cities, regardless of their vaccination status, to wear them indoors in response to a varient-fueled wave of COVID-19.

The state on Tuesday reported a 4% positivity rate of COVID-19 diagnostic testing — up from a low of 1.1% a month ago — and case and hospitalization rates that are back above caution thresholds.

Hennepin and Ramsey counties reinstated their mask mandates in county facilities as well Tuesday, a day after Target, Cub Foods and other retailers required masks for employees and encouraged them for customers in areas with high coronavirus transmission levels.

Several local mask requirements followed a recommendation by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention last week for people to wear them in K-12 schools and in counties with high or substantial levels of viral transmission.

That county number has been fluid in Minnesota, but reached 47 on Tuesday — with all metro counties in the substantial viral transmission range and eight other counties including Freeborn and Nobles in the high range.

Transmission levels at the moment don't correlate entirely to vaccination levels — with urban Hennepin County having substantial transmission despite a first-dose vaccination rate of 77% in eligible people 12 and older, and rural Clearwater County having moderate transmission despite the state's lowest vaccination rate of 41%.

The state on Tuesday also reported 248 COVID-19 hospitalizations in Minnesota, up from 90 three weeks ago.

The state on Tuesday reached a first-dose vaccination rate of 69% in people 16 and older.