Walz to Impose New COVID-19 Restrictions on Bars, Restaurants, Social Gatherings

ST. PAUL, Minn. (FOX 9) – Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz will announce significant new COVID-19 restrictions on bars and restaurants, weddings and funerals, and private gatherings Tuesday, according to sources.

The new restrictions come as Minnesota is experiencing an explosion of COVID-19 across the state, with daily case counts, hospitalizations, and deaths at their highest point since the onset of the pandemic.

Walz is plotting restrictions on bars, restaurants, and other gathering places to target the spread of the coronavirus among younger adults, who make up the largest group of COVID-19 cases and often have mild to no symptoms. Retailers, gyms, and schools are not expected to be affected.

Walz will give a live address at 2 p.m. Tuesday, where he plans to go public with the new restrictions.

Bars and restaurants

Under the new restrictions, bars and restaurants will be forced to close after 10 p.m., sources told FOX 9. No bar seating or games that involve standing, such as darts and pool, will be allowed.

Weddings and funerals 

Weddings and funerals will be limited to 50 people for the remainder of the month. That limit will be dropped to 25 people in December.

Private gatherings

The new restrictions will also target private gatherings, limiting them to a maximum of 10 people from up to three different households, including the host.

You can read the full Executive Order 20-96 here.