Minnesota State Fair considering mandating masks indoors

FALCON HEIGHTS, Minn. (FOX 9) - Organizers of the Minnesota State Fair say they are considering mandating masks inside buildings at the fairgrounds this summer, but they have not made any decisions yet.

Last week, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reversed course on masking guidelines, recommending vaccinated people wear masks indoors in parts of the country where the virus is surging because of the highly transmissible COVID-19 Delta variant. Since then, several cities and counties have issued mask requirements in government buildings and venues like First Avenue are now requiring proof of vaccination or a negative COVID-19 test to attend indoor events.

No mask mandate is currently planned for the fair, but general manager Jerry Hammer said in a statement that "all options are being looked at and will continue to be examined."

As of now, there are no daily attendance limits or vaccination requirements for the fair. Last year’s fair was canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

The Minnesota State Fair is now three weeks away. This year’s fair runs from Thursday, Aug. 26 through Labor Day, Sept. 6.

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