10.g Washington County responseChief Hinz,
Thank you for reaching out and considering ways to reduce spread of COVID-
19. Washington County continues to be in high community transmission and is
currently seeing the highest case rate since the beginning of the pandemic
(https://covid.cdc.gov/covid-data-tracker/#county-
view?list_select_state=Minnesota&data-type=Risk&list_select_county=27163). This is
a time to consider limiting events and consider taking precautions if holding events,
especially with the Omicron variant being most of the cases we are seeing.
The Minnesota Department of Health does have a guidance document for events and
gatherings which can be found
here: https://www.health.state.mn.us/diseases/coronavirus/events.html. The document
provides the public health recommendations of masking, screening for illness,
distancing / limiting attendees, increasing ventilation, and communication. These
recommendations can be directly applied to your events.
For your specific events it sounds like you are thinking about the right items. There are
ways to reduce risk, however with where we are at with COVID-19 there is not a way to
eliminate risk of transmission at an event.
For event 1 (MN Cup) - You propose good ideas for limiting number of guests indoors
and putting in place some type of screening. You may also want to consider if it is
possible to move the event outdoors and still limit groups (if it must be indoors open up
as much as possible, increase ventilation, limit capacity), require masking, and
communicate illness policies (not coming if ill, COVID positive, or a close contact).
For event 2 (Lions Breakfast) – Volunteers should follow public health recommendations
including: masking, screening for illness / recent close contact, physical distancing,
communication, increased ventilation... For guests – if coming to eat indoors – require
masking until eating, physical distancing, increasing ventilation, communicating illness
policies… all are important. Limiting capacity would help with increasing distancing. Is
there an option to have it be take-out event (pickup to eat at home)? Or postpone until
community spread is lower or meals can be served outdoors?
Hope this helps. Please reach out if you would like to discuss further.
-Kris
Kristofer Keller, MPH, REHS | Epidemiologist
Disease Prevention & Control
Washington County Public Health & Environment
14949 62nd Street North, Stillwater, MN 55082
651-430-6704