Today, Governor Walz announced a statewide mask mandate. Senator Michelle Benson (R-Ham Lake) responded with the following statement –

“It is important that people wash their hands, stay home when they are sick, and yes, wear masks when they cannot physically distance. Minnesotans want to do the right thing. The governor should tell Minnesotans how they will know masks are working and what goals need to be achieved to lift some of these mandates. Our citizens are smart people and should be treated as such.

“It’s also worth noting that the Minnesotan’s experience of this pandemic is vastly different throughout the state. Empathy for our fellow citizens is important – a person who lives 20 minutes from the nearest grocery store have a very different experience from the individual living in an urban high rise. This will influence their view of mask use and the mandate. Please be kind.”