Gov. Walz Announces Stay-at-Home Order Will Expire Monday
ST. PAUL, Minn. – Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz has announced the state’s stay-at-home order will end May 18th.
The governor also announced many non-essential businesses can reopen to the public June 1st with some restrictions.
Walz says many restrictions will remain in place as the fight against COVID-19 rages on.
“The Stay at Home Order is expiring and the dials are turning, but that doesn’t mean we’re carefree and should return to the way things were,” said Walz. “It means we have to stay safe, take care, care for our own health, and care for your neighbor.”
Businesses like bars, restaurants, and salons can reopen June 1st if they have a safety plan and remain at 50 percent capacity or less.
The state administration is working on guidance for how those businesses can reopen as safely as possible.
“We need business owners to follow the new guidance to protect workers and customers, and we encourage customers to wear masks, socially distance, and don’t congregate for long periods of time in stores,” explained Walz.
The governor acknowledged that easing restrictions means more people will get sick and be hospitalized, but he said the state healthcare system is now more prepared than it was in March to handle an influx in coronavirus patients.
Walz is encouraging Minnesotans to continue to stay home if possible, even though it will no longer be required under his new “Stay Safe MN” order.
“Stay Safe Minnesota will still ask people to stay close to home, limit travel to what’s essential, but we can now gather with friends and family of groups of less than 10,” explained Walz.
The governor also signed executive orders Wednesday strongly encouraging at-risk Minnesotans to continue staying home and ensuring workers can raise safety concerns about their work environments without facing retaliation from employers.
According to FOX 9, by allowing retail businesses to reopen to customers, the Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development estimates 37,000 more people can return to work next week.
The Governor also extended his peacetime emergency authority until June 12. The peacetime emergency was set to expire Wednesday. By law, the governor has to extend his emergency declaration every 30 days to have the authority to close businesses, order people to shelter at home, and carry out dozens of other executive orders he’s signed over the past two months. Lawmakers would have to formally vote to end the emergency, which is unlikely with a divided state Legislature.
