MN Gov says state consulting with MN medical companies to access business supply chain.
State is in contact with MN food companies like Hormel, Land o' Lakes, Cargill, General Mills, food supply chain is in good shape.
NEW: MN Homeland Security working to expand hospital beds by creating alternative health care facilities in motels, high school gymnasiums, etc.
MN Dept of Employment and Economic Development creating small business emergency loan program at banks around the state.
MN DEED: 149,443 new applications for unemployment benefits last week. Largest groups are bars and restaurants, salons, spas, office workers.
Most affected by MN layoffs: Women, young workers 22-29
MN Education Dept: 115,000 meals served to more than 3,000 students just yesterday.
MN Health Dept: Not seeing virus clusters in communities yet, mostly in housing units including nursing facilities.
MN Gov Walz: Still predicting 40% to 80% of Minnesotans may get infected by virus. Not all will be seriously ill. Some have already have virus and recovered.
Health Department: Only 20% of people get infected by normal flu, in part because we have vaccines and treatment. COVID-19 has no vaccine and no cure.
NEW: Gov Walz will extend bar and restaurant closing because of virus.
Gov Walz says President's comments to open up the country may not happen: "People need to hear the truth...there will not be an all clear signal" and it won't end on any certain date.
"This will go well beyond Easter, and I don't think it does us any good to pretend that it won't," says MN Gov Walz.
Walz: Says MN policy of social distancing has slowed the infection rate, pushed down the peak, and pushed down the hospital bed use.
On President Trump: I hope his decisions are being driven by NIH Dr Anthony Fauci and not Economic Advisor Larry Kudlow.
The federal govt could help Minnesota by using ramping up production of medical supplies.
Above is MN Gov Walz comment
NEW: MN Gov Walz says he is not ready to set dates on how long bar and restaurant closings will last. Waiting for data showing spread of virus first.
MN Gov says Minnesotans are beginning to comply with social distancing restrictions, says MNDOT sees much lower traffic levels, social media reflects smaller gatherings.
MN has 243 ICU beds, Health Dept is working with hospitals statewide to exchange info on real time access to them.
MN Gov Walz to Asian American Minnesotans who he says are being unfairly targeted by racism around the country from people who call it the "Chinese Virus": "We need to lift up and make sure that doesn't happen."
END OF MN COVID-19 UPDATE 3/24/2020
