Dear Neighbors,

The situation regarding the COVID-19 pandemic is rapidly evolving. The Legislature, Governor Walz, and state health officials are working on solutions to help the people of Minnesota navigate this public health crisis. On March 9, we came together to quickly deliver $21 million toward our state’s public health response. Last week, we followed this action up with another $200 million of investments to help our hospitals, clinics, long-term care providers, ambulance services and other health care providers plan for, prepare for, and respond to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Our state is extremely lucky to have a world-class disease surveillance system already in place and officials at the Minnesota Department of Health have been working around the clock to protect the health and safety of Minnesotans. Outside of state government, we’re seeing other health care organizations step up, including Mayo Clinic which now has a capacity to process 4,000 tests per day and has helped eliminate the backlog. Additionally, a resourceful U of M anesthesiologist has created a cheaper ventilator and is in contact with CEOs to start production and is awaiting FDA approval. A CDC-compliant design is also available for masks and many Minnesotans have shown a willingness to contribute to the effort by sewing them.

Here’s an update on recent actions taken to prevent the spread of COVID-19.

Legislative Solutions

To ensure we’re meeting social distancing guidelines, the Legislature is on a temporary recess, but we are on-call to return so we can consider legislation addressing COVID-19. While many of us are not at the Capitol physically, we’re still working to protect both Minnesotans’ health and their economic wellbeing. Here are some of the measures we are working on:

• Ensuring hourly workers and contract workers at our schools get paid
• Ensuring workers have paid time off for COVID-19-related illness or business closure
• Licensing extensions and flexibility for businesses
• Preventing evictions and foreclosures during the pandemic
• Forgiveness for expired driver’s licenses
• Giving the DHS Commissioner temporary authority to keep our long term care and disability services up and running
• Child care provider support
• Local jobs and projects bill
• Abatement of penalties for late income and property tax filing
• Resources to help homeless Minnesotans be safe and healthy during the emergency
• Additional support for food shelves

Executive Actions

The Governor has issued a series of executive orders as part of our state’s response action to COVID-19, some of which mirror our legislative efforts. Last Friday, he issued a pair of them to ensure critical services for some of the state’s most vulnerable residents can continue by giving the Department of Human Services some flexibility from certain requirements. This will help ensure that services for people with disabilities, mental health support, childcare, food support, housing, and other critical public health programs and services can continue.

Also Friday he also signed an executive order prohibiting price gouging during a peacetime emergency. We have heard a reports of extreme price hikes for common household necessities. Minnesotans can report instances of price gouging by calling the Attorney General’s office at 651-296-3353 or 800-657-3787. Callers can ask for a translator at these numbers as well. Complaints can be made online as well.

Governor Walz and MNsure are also launching a 30-day special enrollment period for qualified individuals who are currently without insurance in response to the potential growth of COVID-19 cases. This special enrollment period begins Monday, March 23 and runs through April 21, giving uninsured individuals 30 days to enroll in health insurance coverage through MNsure.org.

To help ensure housing stability for Minnesotans, today he issued an order for a moratorium on evictions. I wish the Governor well as he begins a 14-day period of self-quarantine as a result of contact with someone afflicted with COVID-19. His leadership during this challenging time has been invaluable. And my heart goes out to Lt. Gov. Peggy Flanagan, who this weekend lost her brother Ron to COVID-19.

School Closures

The Governor declared that all schools in Minnesota be closed from March 18 through March 27 to allow school staff, teachers, and administrators to plan for the next steps during this pandemic. They are receiving guidance from the Minnesota Department of Education and the Minnesota Department of Health on how to make sure Minnesota’s students are able to continue their studies during this pandemic. 

During this time, schools will be required to provide care for elementary-age children of health care professionals, first responders, and other emergency workers during previously planned school days to ensure Minnesota’s first line of defense against COVID-19 can stay on the job. It also makes provisions for the continuity of mental health services and requires schools to continue providing meals to students in need.

If you have any questions on school closures or child care, please make use of the numbers and link below:

• Call 651-297-1304 or 1-800-657-3504 (7am-7pm daily)
• Visit www.education.mn.gov 
• Child care providers with questions should call 1-888-234-1268 

Bars, Restaurants, and Other Gathering Places Closed

One of the most effective ways to “flatten the curve” and prevent the transmission of COVID-19 is to maintain social distancing guidelines and congregating with others. Last week, Governor Walz issued an executive order directing many businesses where people gather to temporarily close their doors in Minnesota. These include restaurants, bars, movie theaters, gyms, museums, and many others. This was an unquestionably tough decision for the Governor to make, and as a result, workers and business owners alike are facing an uncertain economic situation for themselves and their families. As challenging as this step is, it highlights what’s at stake for us to take this epidemic seriously.

To those whose employment has been impacted by these measures, I highly encourage you to look into Minnesota’s unemployment benefits, which you can find and apply for here. To help Minnesotans receive relief quicker, Governor Walz signed an executive order eliminating the normal one-week waiting period for benefits. The Department of Employment and Economic Development (DEED) has other resources here.

Many restaurants are still open for business offering take-out, curbside delivery, and drive-thru methods. If you’re able, consider supporting a local business for dinner sometime this week.

Small Business Loans

The U.S. Small Business Administration has launched a Disaster Loan assistance program for Minnesota businesses impacted by COVID-19. This program provides small businesses and private nonprofits loans of up to $2 million to provide vital economic support to help small businesses overcome the temporary loss of revenue they are experiencing. For the latest information, call the SBA's disaster assistance customer service center at 1-800-659-2955 or visit the COVID-19 section of their website.

Additionally, DEED has established a Small Business Emergency Loan program which can help bridge the gap for businesses until their federal loans are approved, offering immediate assistance. Learn more here.

Informational Resources

The Minnesota Department of Health (MDH) is the best source for accurate, up-to-date information about the COVID-19 pandemic. If you have questions, please visit their website, which also has COVID-19 information in Hmong, Spanish, and Somali. You can also call their hotline, staffed by public health professionals from 7am-7pm daily, at 651-201-3920. MDH has also released several informational documents on the coronavirus in various languages:

COVID-19 in Amharic (PDF)

COVID-19 in Arabic (PDF)

COVID-19 in Chinese (PDF)

COVID-19 in Hmong (PDF)

COVID-19 in Karen (PDF)

COVID-19 in Russian (PDF)

COVID-19 in Somali (PDF)

COVID-19 in Spanish (PDF)

COVID-19 in Vietnamese (PDF)  

Please continue to practice the basic precautions of frequent, thorough handwashing, covering your cough with your sleeve, and staying home when you’re sick. Follow physical distancing guidelines by staying 6 feet apart from others and avoiding large groups, but remember that we humans need each other, so please stay socially connected through the phone and internet. The bottom line is this: act as though you are infected and could infect others. Stay home unless you must go out.

Don’t hesitate to contact me with your input or if I can be of assistance in any way. Minnesotans are resilient.  We will overcome this challenge together.

Warmly,

Tina