Gopher Sports: University Of Minnesota Sets Temporary Vaccination Policy For Indoor Events

MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) -- The University of Minnesota announced Friday a temporary vaccination policy for indoor sporting events Friday.

The university says it will require all attendees, age 5 or older, at indoor events with 200 or more people to show proof of COVID-19 vaccination or a negative test within 72 hours.

The policy applies to tennis, swimming and diving, track and field, women's and men's basketball and hockey games.

The temporary policy will begin on Jan.26 and will end Feb.9.

The first scheduled event with the policy in effect will be Minnesota's home men's basketball game against Ohio State on Jan. 27.

The average positivity rate hit 21.6% in the latest update from the Minnesota Department of Health.

In the last two weeks, cases in the state have tripled due to the highly contagious Omicron variant.

Due to the COVID surge, mayors of St. Paul and Minneapolis instituted a vaccine mandate for any business which serves food and drink, including restaurants, bars, and sports venues. The order goes into effect on Wednesday.