Credit: Governor Tim Walz, Facebook
Governor Tim Walz announced his broadest loosening of COVID-19 restrictions, which will allow for larger meetings, restaurant capacity and up to 10,000 people at sporting events, including the Minnesota Twins.
Unless indicated for an individual point, all changes will take effect at 12 noon on Monday, March 15. The changes:
- Social gatherings: Up to 50 people outdoors or 15 people for indoor meetings, both without domestic limits.
- Youth sports: Pod size increasing to 50 for outdoor activities.
- Religious services: Remove the occupancy limit, but social distance is necessary.
- Celebrations: Follow the directions of the place.
- Bars and restaurants: Increase in permitted occupancy to 75%, from 50%, with a limit of 250 people. The limits apply separately for indoor and outdoor environments. The seats at the bar increase for groups of 4.
- Salons / barbers: Removal of the occupation limit, but necessary social distance.
- Gyms / fitness centers / swimming pools: Increase in permitted occupancy to 50%, from 25%. Outdoor classes can increase to 50 people.
- Entertainment venues: Increasing the permitted occupancy to 50%, from 25%, both indoors and outdoors, with a limit of 250.
- Sitting outdoors locations can add 25% to their capacity over 500, with a limit of 10,000 people.
- Not sitting outdoors locations can add 15% to their capacity over 500, with a limit of 10,000 people.
- Closed sitting spaces can add an additional 15% of its capacity over 500, with a limit of 3,000 people.
- Closed places without seating can add an additional 10% of its capacity over 500, with a limit of 1,500 people.
Walz also announced that working from home will no longer be necessary when possible, starting April 15, although it remains strongly recommended.
“All employers must continue to accommodate employees who wish to work from home,” the statement said.
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“This rotation of the dial is made possible by all the hard work that so many Minnesota residents have done,” said Department of Health commissioner Jan Malcolm in a statement.
“At the same time, it is important not to let your guard down until we are done with the job. COVID-19 is still circulating in our communities and we are seeing new variants more often. We need to maintain preventive measures such as masking, social detachment, staying at home when sick and taking the test when appropriate. These basic tools – together with safe and effective vaccines – will help us to end this pandemic and reach better days.
The easing of the restrictions comes at a time when Minnesota and the rest of the United States are making rapid progress on the vaccine front. President Joe Biden announced on Thursday that the country’s goal is to ensure that all adults are eligible for the vaccine by May 1.
In Minnesota, more than 642,000 people completed the two-dose vaccine series, while more than 1.1 million Minnesota residents received at least one dose.
This is a developing story.