Minneapolis, St. Paul to immediately lift mandate requiring proof of vaccination, negative test
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The cities of Minneapolis and St. Paul are lifting the proof of COVID-19 vaccination or negative test mandate at establishments serving indoor food or beverages.
Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey and St. Paul Mayor Melvin Carter announced the policy is being lifted immediately on Thursday, just shy of a month after the policy was first announced. However, the policy didn’t take effect until Jan. 19.
Many business owners were upset by the mandate, saying it would drive away customers. A group of restaurant and nightclub owners in Minneapolis even sued to halt the mandate but a judge denied that effort.
The cities cited the decline in COVID-19 cases and hospitalizations as the reason for rescinding the policy.
Photo: Brandon Aultman/USMC via MGN
Mask requirements in the city will remain, however. A list of mask mandates can be found here.
“Key public health metrics are trending in the right direction,” Frey said in a statement. “That is a welcomed sign for Minneapolis, especially for the small businesses and restaurants that have shouldered the weight of this pandemic. Let’s hold the momentum and bring our city back in full by continuing to follow public health guidance and supporting local businesses.”
“We are grateful to be in a different place now than we were when this requirement first took effect,” Carter said in a statement. “While I encourage residents to continue to get vaccinated, wear masks, and practice social distancing while indoors, the sharp decline in cases and hospitalizations means we can safely lift the vaccine requirement in our city.”