Gehrig asks for studies on mask effectiveness at City Commission meeting

FARGO, N.D. (KVRR) – Fargo City Commissioner Tony Gehrig asks for a presentation on clinical studies showing masking stops the spread of COVID-19, especially in children at schools.

North Dakota State University Professor of Public Health Dr. Paul Carson and Sanford Health Infectious Disease Physician Dr. Avish Nagpal shared research published in medical journals and by the CDC. One from two Arizona counties in the summer of 2021 shows K-12 schools without mask requirements were three and a half times more likely to have Covid-19 outbreaks than schools without mandates.

“Given the potential benefit, it was potential, we didn’t know for certain how good all of this was, and the minimal evidence of harm, which my colleagues will get to in a second, mask mandates were reasonable early in the beginning of the pandemic when no treatments or vaccines were available,” Carson said.

Gehrig says the information presented is part of the public record and adds value “to our conversation.”

The Commission also approved the seven member Police Advisory and Oversight Board.

Commissioner Dave Piepkorn was the only no vote.