St. Cloud Area Cities Reject Mask Mandate Request

(KNSI) – Several Central Minnesota cities have refused a health care provider’s appeal to put a six-week mask mandate in place. St. Cloud, Sartell, Sauk Rapids, and Waite Park rejected CentraCare’s request.

“I don’t believe that the mandates, from a city in particular, but the government mandates of wearing masks or the mandates of vaccination is something that I support. I just don’t believe in mandates,” said St. Cloud Mayor Dave Kleis.

Hospital officials met with area leaders on Friday to encourage them to put the mandate in place to preserve hospital staffing levels.

After dismissing the mandate request, the cities agreed to sign a joint message encouraging residents to wear masks indoors, limit interactions with others outside of work or family, get vaccinated, wash their hands, and stay home if they’re sick.

“when they’re asking and saying that masks would help indoors, all right, I will do that. And I’ll ask folks to do that. But I’ll ask, I’m not going to tell. And I just don’t believe that’s government’s role,” said Kleis.

CentraCare Dr. Kim Tjaden says, “masking and avoiding public gatherings is the only thing that’s going to help with this particular surge.”

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