Law enforcement involvement possible for those who break quarantine


The Grand Forks County Office Building, photographed on Nov. 23, 2015. Photo by Nick Nelson/Grand Forks Herald

Debbie Swanson, director of Grand Forks Public Health, expressed as much in response to questions from County Commissioner Cynthia Pic during the commission’s April 21 meeting. Swanson was at the meeting to give a coronavirus update, and she answered multiple questions from the commissioners concerned about people not following isolation or distancing guidelines, or even outright quarantine orders.

Pic asked about what could be done to keep LM employees at home, should they not obey the order.

Swanson replied: “That quarantine is enforceable, and it can be enforced by the state’s attorney.”

State Health Officer Mylynn Tufte issued a quarantine order, effective April 16, for all employees of LM Wind, a company stricken by the coronavirus. At least 128 employees and close-contacts have tested positive for the virus. The order expires on April 30.

The process of getting law enforcement involved is clunky. Because the quarantine order came from the state, Swanson said, the district court would have to be involved and health officials would need firsthand knowledge of people disobeying the order to get it prosecuted.

Swanson said she preferred other means of enforcement, which include communicating with people under the order, should her office receive a report of someone breaking quarantine.

“Now, if we are currently engaged with them, we can let them know that we’ve received a report and that is enforceable,” Swanson said.

Pic said she is aware of some county establishments with food and alcohol licenses that have allowed people to eat or drink on site.

“If that is happening in Grand Forks County, the sheriff’s department needs to be notified,” Swanson said in reply.

Swanson also said she would ask county schools to “amplify” the message to children during on-line education that they should not be playing with other children during the pandemic. This was in response to Commission Chairwoman Diane Knauf, who wondered what could be done to increase messaging to parents about not letting children play together.

“Children shouldn’t be playing with their friends right now, in all honesty,” Swanson said.

According to Swanson, there have been over 1,500 tests, with 143 positive tests in the county. Sixty-six people are still under investigation for the illness. She admitted that her office is stretched thin. She said her office is getting help from UND and NDSU students, but finding people who can do the work of contract tracing has been a challenge.


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