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The mayors of St. Paul and Minneapolis have lifted the cities’ mask mandates, effective immediately.

 and required masks in public indoor public spaces, including schools, restaurants and retail locations, in response to the growing spread of the omicron variant of COVID-19.

In a statement, Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey said the move comes as COVID rates have been dropping rapidly in the city. He said public health officials will continue to closely monitor the situation and that masks will still be strongly recommended indoors in public. 

St. Paul also pointed to a drop in case rates, positivity rates and hospitalizations in Ramsey County for ending the requirement.

The mask mandate remains in effect for city buildings in Minneapolis and St. Paul, for both visitors and employees. Individual organizations may still institute mask requirements.

are trending at their lowest point since September

, offering evidence of a rapidly receding surge.

And who might not

Is it leading us closer to herd immunity against COVID?

Minnesota News

Twin Cities News

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Health

COVID-19

MPR News Staff

Author

Effective immediately, mayors in both cities say ending the mask requirements comes as cases of COVID have been falling rapidly. The mandates went into effect Jan. 5 during a surge in cases of the omicron variant. 

Mask mandates lifted in Minneapolis, St. Paul

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