New ‘vaccine-or-test’ mandate goes into effect Wednesday

Hundreds of businesses across Minneapolis and St. Paul are preparing for the new vaccine-or-test mandate that goes into effect Wednesday.

Customers age 5 and up in both cities will have to show proof of vaccination or proof of a negative COVID-19 test upon entry. The negative test must have been taken within 72 hours to be considered valid and cannot be an over-the-counter at-home test.

The emergency regulation signed by both mayors applies to all city-licensed businesses that serve food or drinks, including bars, restaurants, bowling alleys and conventions.

The policy will also apply to ticketed events, such as sports venues, beginning January 26th. When asked to clarify what qualifies as a ticketed event (for example, if movie theaters fall in this category), the city of Minneapolis responded with this: "We honor a wide interpretation for businesses that believe they have ticketed events. However, after the 26th all places who serve food and beverage will need to comply, ticketed or not."

Business owners have mixed opinions about the new mandate and how it will work.

"Why does the city put this pressure on a small business like us?" said Yin Muangmode, general manager at Amazing Thailand in Uptown.

Muangmode said she supports vaccination, noting nearly all of the staff at her restaurant have gotten their shots, but worries about having to enforce the policy with customers.

"We know we’re going to have some conflicts with some customers," Muangmode said. "I don’t know how we’re going to deal with this."

She also worries it will drive some customers away, at a time when she estimates business is already down 50% or more.

"We are even thinking about next week closing down the dine-in area," Muangmode said. "It doesn’t help for them to say that this is going to ‘keep the restaurant open.’ I would say this can shut us down."

Other businesses are optimistic about the change, including W.A. Frost & Company in St. Paul, which implemented its own vaccine-or-test policy back in September.

"Restauranteurs and owners should not be afraid. It’s going to be a good thing for everyone," said Peter Drinan, the restaurant’s executive chef and general manager.

Drinan said his business saw an uptick in customers, particularly repeat customers, after enacting the policy.

"Our philosophy during the pandemic has been and will continue to be to listen to the best guidance that’s out there," Drinan said. "The response was extremely positive."

He described the first two weeks of their policy as a ‘learning curve’ but said workers and customers adapted quickly.

"We had our hosts trained to make phone calls and let people know the vaccine policy and also trained in conflict resolution," Drinan said. "And I’d suggest to other businesses, direct your crowd to one point of entry and always have two people at that point of entry, so that if one person is checking vaccine cards for one group, you have another person who can manage crowd control or accompany other group."

Of note, the new rules do not apply to pick-up orders.

Businesses will also not be required to keep any record of your vaccination status.

Some Minnesotans have asked if this policy will even be effective since vaccinated people can still contract and spread the virus.

5 EYEWITNESS NEWS asked the Minnesota Department of Health to respond to that question. A spokesperson provided this statement:

"Though Omicron is presenting a significant challenge, we know that layered mitigation strategies give us the best chance of slowing spread. Policies that encourage vaccination, mask wearing, and testing remain our best strategies for reducing pressure on our hospitals. We also know that places that serve food and drinks are sources for spread of COVID-19. These establishments are rightly concerned about protecting their workers from becoming sick so they can continue to serve the public, so it’s understandable that they would want to reduce the opportunities for spread as much as possible."

Other Minnesotans have also expressed frustration about the turnaround time for testing, wondering if a delay in test results will prevent unvaccinated people from being able to visit businesses, if the result is not returned within the three-day window the policy requires.

The city of Minneapolis provided this response to 5 EYEWITNESS NEWS "The Minnesota Department of Health told the City that the backlog is temporary and, as they’ve readjusted to meet demand, people are now getting test results back on average within 18-24 hours. MDH said that 100% of test results are coming back within 48 hours, and around 70% within 24 hours."

The new mandate will be in effect for 40 days, through Feb. 28. Both cities noted it could be rescinded sooner or extended later, depending on the course of the current COVID-19 surge.