| Photo by Evan Frost | MPR News
May 14, 2020
Walz will let stay-home order expire, says hospitals are ready for a surge in cases | |
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Good morning and welcome to a big news day. Let's get to it.
Warmer, but some rain. Twin Cities highs in the mid-70s with a 40 percent chance of rain in the afternoon. Statewide, a chance of afternoon storms and rain with highs from the 60s to mid-70s. More on Updraft. | Forecast
The stay-at-home order expires on Monday, but life will remain far from routine. Gov. Tim Walz announced last night that he won't renew the order but that restaurants, bars and other gathering places, like theaters, must stay closed or takeout only. However, Walz has told state agencies to make plans for a "limited and safe" reopening of bars, restaurants and other similar places come June 1.
Hair salons, barber shops and gyms will stay closed, too. Essentially, only retail businesses will see a big change in that they'll be allowed to resume in-store operations with reduced capacity. Salons and barbers will be able to sell products for pickup, however.
Group gatherings will be allowed, too. Including at places of worship. They just need to include 10 or fewer people.
Walz's reasoning: he says the state is ready for a surge of hospitalizations. The health care system has what it's anticipated to need for the coronavirus' peak, Walz says, and the past two months of staying home bought the state time to get prepare.
The state's peacetime emergency will continue, and so will its related executive orders. June 12 is the new expiration date.
If more outbreaks appear, restrictions could tighten up again. If it turns out Minnesota began reopening too quickly, Walz said some restrictions may need to come back. Walz called the reopening a gamble on human behavior. “This is either going to work or not work,” the governor said. “People are either going to stay out of the hospital or get in it."
A few other noteworthy changes of things that will be allowed, with social distancing ...
Families are allowed overnight camping at a single campsite, not in a developed campground. Private and public developed campgrounds remain closed to recreational camping." Summer day camps are allowed but not overnight camps. Small one-on-one or one-on-two person guided and instructional activities such as guided fishing, birding or outdoor fitness training can resume.Outdoor tournaments, competitions, practices, and sports that allow for social distance.However, the easing of restrictions doesn't mean COVID-19 is slowing down at all. Here are the latest statistics:
12,917 confirmed cases via 122,035 tests638 deaths1,851 cases requiring hospitalization494 people remain hospitalized; 199 in intensive care8,787 patients recoveredThe state has released new modeling for the coronavirus. And it says that COVID-19's peak will come sooner than previously projected. It also says social distancing and the stay-home order were not as effective as leaders thought.
And nationally, COVID-19 models are beginning to agree. And it's bad news: the U.S. death toll projected to hit 110,000 by June 6.
Minnesota small businesses might have more aid on the way. The state Senate has passed a bill that'd offer over 5,700 businesses with 50 or fewer employees to get up to $10,000.
— Cody Nelson, MPR News | @codyleenelson |
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