Earlier today, Gov. Tim Walz announced a new partnership with the Mayo Clinic, the University of Minnesota, and the Minnesota Department of Health to meet Minnesota’s COVID-19 testing and contact tracing goals.

The testing is funded in part by the recently established COVID fund. Requests totaling more than $1 million require approval by Senate and House leaders. Senate Majority Leader Paul Gazelka (R-East Gull Lake), Senate Finance Chair Julie Rosen (R- Vernon Center), and Senate President Jeremy Miller (R- Winona) all approved the testing expenditure request of $36 million.

Senator Miller released the following statement:

“Despite the difficult circumstances this pandemic has caused, Minnesotans should take pride in how well their government is working together to develop solutions to get through this. The announcement of a public-private partnership involving the Mayo Clinic, the University of Minnesota, and the state is just the latest example. Widespread testing and tracing of infected individuals is the fastest way to get us back to normal, and it’s one of the goals we had in mind when we authorized coronavirus funding for the governor. Today’s announcement is great news for Minnesotans that we are one step closer to that goal. 

Obviously we still have work to do, and I will continue listening to constituents and working with the governor, my colleagues in the Legislature, local officials, and federal representatives as we navigate through this pandemic.”

Yesterday, the Senate Health and Human Services Committee heard University of Minnesota and Mayo Clinic officials discuss testing at a committee hearing. You can watch the hearing here.