Minnesota Hospitals Ask for Statewide Mask Mandate

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) - Minnesota's hospitals have asked Gov. Tim Walz to impose a statewide mask mandate to slow the spread of the coronavirus.

The Minnesota Hospital Association urges the governor to act quickly to protect Minnesota from the surge hitting other states.

While hospitalizations in Minnesota for COVID-19 have been declining, the group pointed out that the state's positivity rate and new case counts are rising again.

Walz says he hasn't decided yet. While the Democratic governor said he's willing to order a mandate "at some point in time," he'd like to get Republican support rather than impose it unilaterally.