Minnesota Governor Tim Walz announced on Tuesday that the state will implement additional restrictions to social settings to try and slow the spread of COVID-19 in the state.
Beginning on Friday, the restrictions will apply to social gatherings, celebrations and receptions, and bars and restaurants, which are three of the most significant sources of COVID-19 outbreaks across the state.
Walz said Tuesday that COVID-19 outbreaks in Minnesota from June to November have a direct link back to weddings, private social gatherings, and late nights at bars and restaurants.
The results also show that the virus is being disproportionately spread by younger adults between the ages of 18-35.
Starting Friday, all bars and restaurants must end dine-in service between 10 p.m. and 4 a.m. Indoor capacity will be capped at 150 people, and may not exceed 50 percent of an establishment’s total capacity.
Bar counter service will be closed for seating and service in all establishments besides those that only have counter service.
There will also be a 10-person limit for indoor and outdoor gatherings, and all social gatherings will be limited to members of three households or less.
Capacity limits for receptions related to weddings, funerals, and similar events will be instituted through a phased approach, but will eventually lead to a 25-person cap. In addition, such receptions and similar events may not take place between 10 p.m. and 4 a.m.
All current restrictions also remain in effect. Since data has not shown a connection between religious services and the recent increase in outbreaks, there will be no change to religious services.
Governor Walz also today announced $10 million in funding to support small businesses affected by the pandemic.
To support small businesses as they combat the spread of COVID-19, Walz $10 million in Small Business Relief Grants. This funding will support an additional 1,000 businesses that have applied for the grant program. It supplements hundreds of millions of dollars in small business support that Minnesota has allocated since the beginning of the pandemic.
The announcement comes after a week of record-setting highs in new cases, hospitalizations, and deaths due to COVID-19. Minnesota’s neighboring states have the highest infection rates in the nation.
Minnesota’s case positivity rate is above 10 percent, twice the level at which COVID-19 spread is considered controllable. On Monday, the governor also announced a significant expansion in barrier-free testing across the state to help control the spread of COVID-19.
