ALERT: From DEED Commissioner Steve Groves:
Good afternoon Business Leaders,
We are living in difficult times. Minnesota’s COVID-19 rates are skyrocketing. Health care workers are becoming sick or exposed in the community at increasingly high levels and can’t stay on the job. Hospitals have open beds but staffing shortages mean they can’t be used. Some hospitals are reporting that they have to turn new patients away.
Last week, we announced some targeted changes to stop the spread of COVID-19, including additional social gathering limitations, early closing time for bars and restaurants, and size limitations on celebrations. Our goal was to take a targeted step that would limit economic harm and maximize public health gain.
Since that time, the pace of the virus has accelerated even faster than experts predicted. Our infection rates are now among the highest in the nation. Minnesota is averaging over 6,000 new cases a day. Our hospitalizations and intensive care unit admissions are reaching their capacities. Deaths are the highest they have been since the start of the pandemic, setting a record today with 67. We are experiencing uncontrolled spread of the virus. To protect the health of Minnesotans and prevent further crisis, we have to take additional steps to limit social interactions and stop the spread of COVID-19. That’s why today Governor Walz is announcing a four-week “pause” in a variety of social activities and business sectors.
From Friday, November 20 at 11:59 p.m. to Friday, December 18 at 11:59 p.m. the following restrictions will be in place:
· Social gatherings limited to immediate household.
· Restaurants and bars are dialed back to delivery and takeout only.
· Gyms and fitness studios are closed to the public, if virtual classes are possible, they are permitted.
· All indoor events and entertainment venues, event spaces, and similar establishments are also closed. This includes movie theatres, bowling alleys, museums, performance halls, etc.
· All outdoor events and entertainment are closed. This includes race tracks, paintball, go-karts, mini-golf, etc. (unless they offer a “drive-thru” experience).
· Indoor facilities at all recreation sites are closed.
· Organized adult and youth sports are paused, including practices.
The following settings will remain at the current level of guidance, with no changes:
· Retail shops will remain open, with social distancing required.
· Salons, barbershops, and personal services remain at existing restrictions.
· Childcare and youth programs whose primary goal is childcare remain open.
· Schools continue to operate under the Safe Learning Plan, which moves between distance, in-person, and hybrid models depending on the severity of the virus at the local level.
· Places of worship – with appropriate social distancing, masking, and other mitigation measures – remain at the same capacity.
· Outdoor recreation with members of your household is allowed. In certain activities i.e. skiing, you may go indoors to rent skis, but you will not be able to eat, drink or lounge indoors.
Additionally, Governor Walz strongly encourages people to avoid out-of-state travel wherever possible. If you do travel across the border, a 14-day quarantine is strongly recommended. This does not apply to workers who travel across the border for work.
There’s a lot of detail to these changes, and they can be found in Executive Order 20-99, which you can find posted here. More information, including updated business guidance and FAQ’s will be updated soon.
After four weeks, our hope is these aggressive measures will have their desired effect, and we can engage in re-openings. That will happen only if everyone does the simple things that we know are effective—wear a mask, social distance, avoid gathering with others, and get tested.
I’ve spoken with hundreds of you personally since this all began, and I know how detrimental this pause will be to our hospitality industry. Like you, I’m frustrated. As business leaders in our state, you have been doing everything in your power to keep your businesses and workplaces safe, yet we’re still in this precarious position that is more urgent than ever before.
We have asked so much of you since this pandemic began, and we’re asking for your help once again. Please help spread the word in your communities that COVID-19 is extremely serious, and that we must collectively fight against it. Not only does our health depend on it, but our jobs and economic recovery depend on it too.
To answer questions you might have, we’re hosting a Q&A with the Departments of Health and Labor & Industry tomorrow at 12:00 p.m. Here’s the Link to Recorded Webinar.
Yours,
Steve
Steve Grove | Commissioner
Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development
1st National Bank Building, 332 Minnesota St., Suite E200, St. Paul MN 55101
Q & A Webinar
Thursday, November 19
12:00 Noon
