Public Asked To Mask Up To Stop Unprecedented COVID-19 Surge

(KNSI) – CentraCare Health is asking the community to mask up for the next two to six weeks to try and slow the spread of COVID-19 in the St. Cloud area.

CentraCare Physician Incident Commander for COVID-19 Dr. George Morris says the infection rate is climbing at a rate that’s never been seen before.

“We are seeing case positivity rates above 33%. That means one out of every three people that come into us for testing is positive. We’re seeing the numbers of cases that we are identifying that are about two and a half times as high as they were in November 2020, when we really were hit hard by this peak of this surge.”

He says the omicron variant hit as the region was in the later stages of the delta variant surge, and the hospitals were already full.

“And now with the Omicron tsunami wave, our hospital is even fuller, we have more patients now, more cases now more positive rates now than we did before Christmas time.”

Dr. Morris tells the public, local leaders and policymakers that two to six weeks of intense action will save lives.

“We’re looking at the decision to save 1100 lives of Minnesotans. In order to do that we need masking. Yes, we can look at the treatment options. Yes, we can look at promoting vaccines and boosters. But right now we’re looking for masking. Universal masking with as good a quality or a well fitting mask as possible is a way to really stop this spike.”

Officials say masking is the fastest way to stop the spread right now.

“I’m asking each of you as leaders in our communities, and as members of our communities, to wear a mask indoors in all settings where you’re not with your own family,” said Dr. Morris.

According to CentraCare, two to six weeks of masking would curb the spread in the community and provide an overwhelmed medical community with some relief.

Last week, CentraCare Health asked the cities of St. Cloud, Waite Park, Sartell, and Sauk Rapids along with Stearns and Benton County to put a community-wide mask mandate in place. The cities and counties rejected that request and instead agreed to formally sign a letter to encourage wearing a mask indoors.

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