Shhh! Minnesota Gov. Walz, in Covid Safety Presser, Warns Residents: Don’t Talk Too Loudly

Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz (D) warned state residents against boisterous activity, including speaking too loudly, at a press conference announcing new measures aimed at combating Covid-19.

“The louder you speak — if you’re singing, if you’re playing darts, standing next to someone in a crowded bar and you’re yelling back and forth, it seems like these things shouldn’t be as risky or elevated,” Walz told reporters at the press conference. “What we’ve seen is that they do do that.”

Walz said he was imposing new measures aimed at cracking down on bars and restaurants, including a prohibition on dine-in service after 10:00 p.m., that will take effect Friday. He added that receptions connected to weddings and funerals would also be limited to 50 people beginning November 27, and that the limit would be reduced to 25 people effective December 11.

“Our intention is not to make that difficult for you. It’s to make that day special without having it marked by an outbreak of Covid,” Walz said.

The measures come after a surge in the coronavirus in Midwestern states. Minnesota set a one-day record on Wednesday for new cases of the virus, at 7,228, and deaths related to it, at 56. The state has recorded 201,795 cases of the virus to date, with nearly 20 percent of those emerging in the last week.

“I feel like the guy in Footloose,” Walz added at his press conference. “No dancing, no fun, no whatever. That is not my intention. My intention is to keep you safe so you can all dance a lot longer.”

Watch above via the Minnesota governor’s office.

Have a tip we should know? tips@mediaite.com