Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz announced the reopening of indoor dining, gyms and entertainment venues beginning Wednesday as part of the state's phase three of reopening.
Occupancy will be limited based on risk, with an overall occupancy maximum of 250 people, the statement said.
“Thank you, Minnesotans, for the sacrifices you’ve made to slow the spread of Covid-19,” Gov. Walz said in a statement. “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.”
Here are the guidelines for phase three:
- Restaurants can begin offering indoor dining while maintaining social distancing, requiring reservations and seating no more than 50% occupancy.
- Indoor social gatherings can take place with 10 people or fewer.
- Outdoor social gatherings can take place with 25 people or fewer.
- Gyms, personal fitness and yoga studios and martial arts may open at 25% capacity
- Indoor entertainment venues, such as theaters and concert halls, can open at 25% capacity.
- Recreational indoor entertainment venues, such as bowling alleys, arcades, and museums may open at 25% capacity.
- Personal services, such as salons, tattoo parlors, and barbershops, may increase occupancy rates to 50% while requiring reservations.
- Outdoor entertainment venues, such as sporting events, concerts and theaters may open at 25% capacity.
- Places of worship can increase occupancy rates to 50%.
Fears protests could cause surge in Covid-19 cases: This reopening announcement comes as the the state deals with ongoing protests following the death of George Floyd in Minneapolis.
State officials have expressed fear that coronavirus could spread rapidly during these demonstrations, with Gov. Walz saying on May 30 that he is "deeply concerned about a super-spreader type of incident" and that a spike in Covid-19 cases is "inevitable."