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Dear Friends and Neighbors,
Today Governor Walz announced a "Stay at Home" executive order and extended the current closures for bars, restaurants, and other public accommodations under previous executive orders until May 1. He also issued an Executive Order extending distance learning for schools until May 4.
The "Stay at Home" order will last two weeks and will limit movement outside homes beyond essential trips for two weeks. It is effective Friday, March 27 at 11:59PM until Friday, April 10.
According to the Governor, the goal of these measures is to delay the "peak" in total cases, and allow Minnesota to build hospital and ICU capacity and stockpile personal protective equipment (PPE) for our clinics and hospital workers. The survival rate for severe cases is 10x higher when patients have the ICU care they need.
The order is really not that different from what we have all been doing already. You can still go to the grocery store, pharmacy and get other necessary supplies and take-out food, and you can still do outdoor activities if you follow the social distancing guidelines.
The order allows Minnesotans to leave their residences only to perform any of the following activities and while doing so they should practice social distancing: Health/safety activities, outdoor activities, purchasing necessary supplies and services like groceries and medicine, essential and interstate travel, care of others, displacement, relocation to ensure safety. This is not a comprehensive list.
Workers who provide critical services are exempt for the purposes of traveling to their jobs. This list includes: Healthcare and public health; law enforcement, public safety, and first responders; child care, food and agriculture, news media, energy, water and wastewater, critical manufacturing. This is not a comprehensive list, and Minnesotans should visit www.mn.gov/DEED/critical for additional guidance. There is also a state email address that businesses can contact if they have questions: criticalsectors@state.mn.us
If your business is currently considered non-essential and you would like to request an exemption from the "Stay at Home" order, please submit a request to the Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development here.
A lot of you have questions about what this means for your business and day-to-day lives. I am including a link to the Governor's full order that explains all the details and provides answers to many of the questions you probably have. You can also email or call my office, and I will work to get answers to you as quickly as possible.
I understand the stress, confusion, and anxiety that many Minnesotans are feeling during this uncertain time. Please know that legislators at the state and federal level are working together to provide assistance to families and businesses. The legislature will be meeting tomorrow to pass additional COVID-19 response legislation.
Frequently Asked Questions about the Stay at Home order.
Info about critical business exemptions.
Minnesotans have been doing a great job respecting the social distancing guidelines and it is making a difference. Please continue to follow these guidelines for two more weeks – it really matters to everyone who works in the healthcare professions and everyone who will need their help in the days ahead.
Please reach out to my office if you have questions or if I can assist you in any way. My phone number is 651-296-7806 or by email at rep.kristin.robbins@house.mn.
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