Governor Tim Walz announced on Tuesday, Nov. 17, that guidance to curve outbreaks in youth sports programs around the state will be released on Nov. 18.
In a press call that included the Governor and Lt. Governor Peggy Flanagan, local Minnesotans shared their personal stories of struggle related to COVID-19. Topics of discussion include field hospitals, a loss of health care workers to quarantines and positive cases and the fate of high school sports for both the remainder of the fall seasons and winter seasons.
“It will impact across the board,” Walz said in regards to a question on whether or not Minnesotans can expect guidance for post season football and volleyball. “Again I am not going to play coy with folks and that they can anticipate that. This extends so much bigger than this.”
Walz said that Minnesotans could anticipate “pauses” in youth sports programs around the state, but did not contribute many more details on what guidance will be coming tomorrow. When asked about why he is taking steps in youth sports Walz insisted that the state is seeing asymptomatic spread within sports programs.
“First of all I support youth sports and want them to get there, but it does impact kids,” Walz said. “What we have been saying is that it is the asymptomatic spread that is inadvertently spreading. The desire to have these kids play is strong and I get that.”
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He added that there are so many unknowns to what effects COVID-19 has on younger patients and mild cases of COVID-19.
“It does impact kids differently, but we don’t know what the long term effects of asymptomatic mild cases are, we do not know,” Walz said. “If we really want to get back to youth sports we have to beat the virus, you cannot do the two simultaneously at the same time.”Governor Walz to announce sports guidance on Wednesday
