Minnesota Restaurants, Bars, And More Can Reopen June 10

William Bornhoft
Updated ·3 min read

TWIN CITIES, MN — Gov. Tim Walz Friday announced "phase III" of the Stay Safe MN plan, which will allow for the limited reopening indoor dining, gyms, and entertainment venues beginning June 10.

Customers and employees will be either strongly recommended or required to wear masks and will be required to adhere to appropriate social distancing measures to prevent the spread of COVID-19. Occupancy rates will be limited based on risk, with an overall occupancy maximum of 250 people.

All critical businesses are required to develop and implement a COVID-19 Preparedness Plan by June 29, according to a news release.

Under Phase III of the Stay Safe MN plan:

  • Restaurants can begin offering indoor dining while maintaining social distancing, requiring reservations, and seating no more than 50 percent occupancy.

  • Indoor social gatherings can take place with 10 people or less; outdoor social gatherings can take place with 25 people or less.

  • Gyms, personal fitness and yoga studios, and martial arts may open at 25 percent capacity.

  • Indoor entertainment venues, such as theaters and concert halls, can open at 25 percent capacity.

  • Recreational indoor entertainment venues, such as bowling alleys, arcades, and museums may open at 25 percent capacity.

  • Personal services, such as salons, tattoo parlors, and barbershops, may increase occupancy rates to 50 percent while requiring reservations.

  • Outdoor entertainment venues, such as sporting events, concerts, and theaters may open at 25 percent capacity.

  • Places of worship can increase occupancy rates to 50 percent.

"Thank you, Minnesotans, for the sacrifices you’ve made to slow the spread of COVID-19," Walz said.

"Thanks to your dedication, we are now in a position to carefully turn the dial toward reopening society. As we move forward, it is more important than ever that we each do our part as we trust and rely on each other to keep our state safe."

On May 13, Walz replaced Minnesota’s Stay Home order with a Stay Safe order. The Stay Safe Plan includes metrics that could trigger a dial back dial back based on the rate of testing, new cases, hospitalizations, and deaths.

"As we face the likelihood of many more months of this disease spreading at various levels in our communities, we must find a way to live with it – accepting a certain level of risk while taking steps to prevent a wave of cases overwhelming our health care sector," said MDH Commissioner Jan Malcolm. "The goal is to find a proper balance of protections in a way that promotes the best interests of our state. That’s the balance we’re seeking here today."

Restaurants, salons, and barbershops have been able to offer limited service since June 1. Takeout, curbside, and delivery services have been permitted throughout the pandemic in Minnesota.

Walz has taken steps that aim to ensure workers are being protected as more businesses reopen. The governor signed an executive order preventing workers from being fired for refusing to work in unsafe conditions.

Business must continue to protect their employees while also taking steps to protect their customers. More information on worker protections can be found here.

Coronavirus in Minnesota

As of Friday, nearly 27,000 cases of COVID-19 have been confirmed in Minnesota. More than 1,110 people have died.

Below are some relevant coronavirus statistics from state health officials:

  • 26,980 total positive cases tested

  • Total approximate number of completed tests: 322,340

    • Number of health care workers: 2,890

  • Patients no longer needing isolation: 21,864

  • Deaths: 1,148

    • Deaths among cases that resided in long-term care or assisted living facilities: 922

This article originally appeared on the Southwest Minneapolis Patch