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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