Emergency Regulation No. 2022-7

This emergency regulation rescinds Emergency Regulation No. 2022-1 related to face coverings in indoor public locations.

Proclamation of the Mayor

I, Jacob Frey, Mayor of the City of Minneapolis, subject to the authority granted to me pursuant to Minnesota Statutes, Ch. 12.29 and Minneapolis Code of Ordinances § 128.50-60 do hereby proclaim the following Emergency Regulation:

Seal of the City of Minneapolis, MN

Emergency Regulation No. 2022-7

Whereas, on March 16, 2020, I declared a local public health emergency related to the COVID-19 pandemic in the City of Minneapolis (“City”) and assumed executive responsibilities attendant thereto; and

Whereas, since March 2020, the City has issued as well as rescinded numerous disease control and prevention regulations as needed to address the ebbs and flows of the COVID-19 pandemic; and

Whereas, on January 6, 2022, I promulgated Emergency Regulation 2022-1, which reinstated the requirement to wear a mask or cloth face covering in indoor spaces of public accommodation in response to the proliferation and rise in transmission rates of COVID-19 virus variants; and

Whereas, upon promulgation of Emergency Regulation 2022-1 the 7-day new case rate in the City of Minneapolis exceeded 900 cases per 100,000 individuals and positivity rates were increasing rapidly; and

Whereas, since the implementation of Emergency Regulation 2022-1 case rates in Minneapolis have been dropping rapidly and steadily, with a current 7-day new case rate of 135 per 100,000 individuals and positivity rates below the high-risk threshold; and

Whereas, hospitalization rates and ICU bed capacity data indicate that the strain on the healthcare system is improving, and

Whereas, on February 10, 2022, in response to COVID indicators trending in a stabilizing direction, I rescinded Emergency Regulation 2022-4, which required proof of vaccination or a negative test to enter spaces of public accommodation where food and/or drink is sold or served indoors for consumption onsite; and

Whereas, the City of Minneapolis and the CDC continue to reinforce that the strongest defense against the Delta, Omicron, and other potentially dangerous variants is through vaccination, proper use of face masks, avoidance of crowded spaces, good hand hygiene, and staying home when sick.

NOW, THEREFORE, I, Jacob Frey, Mayor of the City of Minneapolis, do hereby order the following with respect to Emergency Regulation 2022-1:

  1. Emergency Regulation 2022-1 is hereby rescinded and has no continuing applicability or effect.

Additional Terms

  1. This Order is effective upon issuance.

February 24, 2022

See the official signed copy