Worker involved with MN in-person graduation has coronavirus

MINNESOTA – A Minnesota school holds in-person graduation despite a state ban where a worker with the coronavirus had close contact with school staff.

State health officials say the worker was involved with stage setup and was around the staff members for a few hours. The staff helped facilitate the graduation and did not know there were exposed.

Officials would not say which school the incident happened at.

Health experts define close contact as six feet or less for 15 minutes or more.

They stress examples like these show it’s too dangerous to have in-person graduations.

“It’s not just a simple math problem about how many students can fit on a football field. It’s also about all the other considerations, the types of interactions participants have with others. Even the best laid plans cannot account for the human reaction of students rushing to hug classmates who they’ve not seen in a long time,” Department of Health Infectious Disease Division Director Kris Ehresmann said.

Ehresmann reminds Minnesotans that public gatherings with people from multiple households is part of the last phase of the state’s reopening guidelines.