As Statewide Mask Mandate Is Set To Be Lifted, Some Cities And Stores Still Plan To Require Masks
MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) -- While Minnesota is set to drop its statewide mask mandate Friday, some cities, stores and shopping centers still plan to require masks for people gathering indoors.
Both Minneapolis and St. Paul say they will keep their respective mask mandates in effect until officials can review local health data, focusing on vaccination rates, positivity rates and other factors.
Meanwhile, some businesses say they will check in with employees first to see if they're comfortable with people entering the business unmasked. Target is among the businesses still enforcing the mask mandate. The Galleria in Edina said they will no longer enforce masks in public spaces, though individual stores and restaurants are able to enforce their own guidance.
The lifting of Minnesota's statewide mask mandate comes after the Centers for Disease Control released new guidelines Thursday advising that fully vaccinated people don't have to wear face masks in most indoor settings.
The change in guidelines from the CDC prompted state officials to speed up Minnesota's timeline for lifting the statewide mask mandate. Earlier this month, Gov. Tim Walz said that the mask mandate would be lifted once 70% of Minnesotans 16 and older are fully vaccinated, or by July 1, whichever was reached first.
Currently, just over 50% of eligible Minnesotans have completed their vaccine series.
