SAINT PAUL, Minn. – Today, Minnesota Governor Tim Walz announced a three-step timeline to end nearly all state COVID-19 restrictions by May 28, and end the statewide masking requirement once 70% of Minnesotans aged 16 years and older get their vaccine, or by July 1. The announcement comes as more than 2.6 million Minnesotans have gotten their shot and the state is on track to vaccinate 70% of Minnesotans by the end of June.
Rep. Mike Sundin (DFL – Esko) issued the following statement:
“Today’s announcement is great news for our state. Minnesotans have had to persevere over the past year as they’ve faced an impossible situation none of us have experienced in our lives. The pandemic isn’t over yet, but through the progress we’ve made with vaccinations and case counts dropping, it’s time to move further down the path toward normalcy.
“Throughout this pandemic, Governor Walz has had to make many difficult decisions to keep us safe. As cases increased, he had to ensure our hospitals didn’t become overwhelmed with COVID patients, which puts others at risk. He also had to ensure people and businesses could navigate the impossible economic hardship. The governor has shown great leadership managing this pandemic and now, as vaccines keep going into arms, I’m excited about this coming summer as our state safely gets back open and our economy can continue on the upswing.”