Benton, Stearns County Reinstate Mask Mandate for Employees

Saint Cloud, MN, USA / KNSI

Jan 12, 2022 | 5:50 AM

Photo from FDA

(KNSI) – Both Benton and Stearns County have reinstated a mask mandate for county workers but declined to pass a mandate on the public. CentraCare Health officials asked for the mandate on Friday. The health care provider says the mandate is needed to help curb the spread of COVID-19 across the St. Cloud area.

The Benton County Board of Commissioners met during a special meeting on Tuesday and approved the employee mask mandate for six weeks.

Stearns County’s employee mask mandate went into effect on Monday after county officials approved the measure following Friday’s meeting with CentraCare. Stearns County also decided against a public mask requirement.

Benton and Stearns County signed a letter 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.

On Monday, St. Cloud, Sartell, Sauk Rapids, and Waite Park officials signed the same letter encouraging mask-wearing indoors but rejected a request for a public mask mandate.

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