Minneapolis, St. Paul issue indoor mask mandate for city-owned buildings

Mask mandates reappear in Minneapolis, St. Paul city-owned buildings

Mask mandates reappear in Minneapolis and St. Paul city-owned buildings as the delta variant spreads.

(FOX 9) - Minneapolis and St. Paul are issuing an indoor mask mandate for all city-owned buildings in line with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's latest guidance on masking.

Effective Wednesday, Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey and St. Paul Mayor Melvin Carter are requiring city staff and visitors to wear masks inside city-owned buildings, regardless of vaccination status, according to a news release. When working, Minneapolis city staff are also required to mask up when indoors in spaces of public accommodation, such as businesses.

Minneapolis, St. Paul issue indoor mask mandate for city-owned buildings

Minneapolis and St. Paul are issuing an indoor mask mandate for all city-owned buildings in line with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's latest guidance on masking.

The mayors are not requiring the same of businesses, but they are urging them to adopt universal masking requirements for their customers indoors.

Both mayors are considering a vaccine requirement for city employees, according to the release.

Hennepin and Ramsey counties also reinstituted its indoor mask mandate for county buildings as well.

Employers in Twin Cities metro mandate COVID-19 vaccine, masks

Major Minnesota employers and education institutions are imposing mask mandates and vaccine requirements for workers to slow a COVID-19 surge across the country.

Minneapolis:

Effective August 4, 2021 any individual who is over age two and able to medically tolerate a face covering shall be required to cover their nose and mouth with a mask or cloth face covering in accordance with CDC guidance when inside all buildings and facilities owned or operated by the City of Minneapolis, including Minneapolis City Hall, regardless of vaccination status.

Effective August 4, 2021 all City employees able to medically tolerate a face covering shall be required to cover their nose and mouth with a mask or cloth face covering in accordance with CDC guidance when inside all spaces of public accommodation located within the City of Minneapolis regardless of vaccination status.

St. Paul:

Executive order 2021-33 requires all individuals regardless of vaccine status at City-Controlled Property to wear a face covering indoors at all times. Employees who are not in a congregate setting and are alone in their assigned workspace may refrain from wearing a face covering. City of Saint Paul employees and visitors are not required to wear a face covering while outdoors, unless at an activity specifically designated and posted by the City as requiring a face covering.

The order will apply to all individuals except young children at risk of suffocation and persons who cannot medically tolerate wearing a face covering. Acceptable face coverings include manufactured or homemade cloth face coverings, and are not required to be medical-grade masks. Face coverings must fully cover a person’s nose and mouth.

All businesses are strongly encouraged to require that all individuals, regardless of vaccine status, wear a face covering indoors.

MASK REQUIREMENTS: Hennepin County, some cities requiring masks in government buildings