Today Governor Walz issued a 5-point plan to mitigate the spread of COVID-19 in long term care facilities.

Senator Karin Housley (R-St. Marys Point), chair of the Senate Family Care and Aging committee, issued the following statement:

“It is the end of July, we have been fighting this pandemic for months, but Governor Walz acts as though he is ahead on this issue. I asked him in April, multiple times in May, and again in June to implement procedures to expand testing of residents and caregivers, disburse PPE, and more to protect our vulnerable populations. Now as outbreaks in facilities are finally slowing, he presents this plan. He has held onto his emergency powers in order to act swiftly on behalf of Minnesotans, but our seniors have been repeatedly forgotten and left subject to poor planning and unnecessary exposure to the virus. While I am relieved that these initiatives may save some of our elderly as we move forward, I can’t applaud this delayed display of leadership. At best, the administration is trying to paint a positive picture. At worst, this administration was grossly incompetent and negligent in protecting our seniors.”