Today, the Minnesota Senate approved a bill to provide emergency funding for combatting COVID-19 in Minnesota. The bill, authored by Senator Jerry Relph (R-St. Cloud), passed with bipartisan support.

“Ensuring the health and safety of the Minnesotans is one of the legislature’s top responsibilities,” said Senator David Osmek (R-Mound). “While the risk to most Minnesotans remains low, it is important that we ensure our health professionals and local communities are fully equipped to combat the coronavirus outbreak. Today, I joined my colleagues in the Senate to support a bipartisan emergency funding bill to help our Minnesota respond to this disease.”
  

Senate File 3813 appropriates $20.899 million to the Public Health Response Emergency Account. In the event the funds go unused or are reimbursed by the federal government, the money will automatically transfer back to the general fund. The emergency funds will allow the Minnesota Department of Health, in collaboration with state and federal officials, to support disease investigation, monitor potential cluster outbreaks, provide information to the public, coordinate statewide response activities, and conduct laboratory analysis. Top legislators, the administration, and public health officials remain in frequent contact.

“Minnesotans should continue to protect themselves at home to take the appropriate precautions when out in public,” continued Senator Osmek. “treat this virus similar to the common flu, where you exercise caution,  cover your mouths when sneezing and coughing and wash your hands with soap and water for a full twenty seconds.”

Public health officials have announced two confirmed cases of the novel coronavirus in Minnesota. While no large-scale travel bans are in place, officials have announced temporary flight restrictions at Minneapolis/St. Paul International Airport. State and local officials are also working with state epidemiological officials on contingency plans that could be implemented if the needed arises.

The legislation now awaits action by the House of Representatives.

In addition to prevention efforts at the Capitol, Minnesotans are encouraged to monitor CDC developments and daily guidance to see the deliberate steps they can take to protect their health and others in others in public.