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March 20, 2020
Information for the Hospitality Industry and Regulatory Agencies
The COVID-19 pandemic presents an unprecedented challenge
Executive Order 20-04: Providing for the Temporary Closure of Bars, Restaurants, and Other Places of Public Accommodation (https://www.leg.state.mn.us/archive/execorders/20-04.pdf) (PDF) was issued on March 16, 2020 and Executive Order 20-08: Clarifying Public Accommodations Subject to Executive Order 20-04 (https://www.leg.state.mn.us/archive/execorders/20-08.pdf) (PDF) was issued on March 18, 2020.
The following types of establishments under the jurisdiction of Minnesota Department of Health, Minnesota Department of Agriculture, and their delegated programs are affected by Executive Order 20-04 and Executive Order 20-08. The order requires some services at these establishments to be closed to the public beginning at 5:00 p.m., March 17, 2020.
On-site consumption is prohibited
These establishments must stop all food and beverage service for on-site consumption:
- Restaurants, food courts, cafes, coffeehouses, and other businesses or charitable establishments.
- Bars, taverns, brew pubs, breweries, microbreweries, distilleries, wineries, tasting rooms, clubs, and other businesses or charitable establishments.
These establishments may offer food and beverages using delivery services, window service, walk-up service, drive-through service, or drive-up service, so long as social distancing precautions are taken.
Off-site consumption is allowed
Retail establishments who sell food to be consumed off-site are not included in this suspension so long as there is no on-site food consumption. Nevertheless, we want to encourage the direct order and pickup of product to help prevent the spread of Coronavirus and COVID-19.
- Farmers’ markets
- Grocery stores
- Pharmacies
- Hardware stores
- Retail outlets
- Bakeries
Certain facilities that serve food are not affected
The restrictions imposed by the Executive Order do not apply to the following:
- Health care facilities, child care facilities, residential care facilities, congregate care facilities, and juvenile justice facilities.
- Crisis shelters, soup kitchens, and other emergency feeding locations.
- Restaurants and food courts inside of secure areas of airports.
Other businesses that sell or serve food must close
These establishments must be closed to the public:
- Theaters, cinemas, indoor and outdoor performance venues, and museums.
- Gymnasiums, fitness centers, recreation centers, indoor sports facilities, indoor exercise facilities, exercise studios, and spas.
- Amusement parks, arcades, bingo halls, bowling alleys, indoor climbing facilities, skating rinks, trampoline parks, and other similar recreational or entertainment facilities.
- Country clubs, golf clubs, boating or yacht clubs, sports or athletic clubs, and dining clubs.
Room rental is allowed
- Lodging establishments are allowed to continue offering lodging rooms to guests, and may provide food to be consumed away from common areas.
- Hotel management and staff should discourage gatherings in common areas of hotels, such as lobbies, lounges, breakfast areas, or meeting rooms.
Food service in lodging establishments may operate with restrictions
- Continental breakfast and other self-service dining operations are not allowed. Dining rooms must be closed. Hotel staff may place food in take-out containers or covered trays for guests to bring to their rooms.
- Room service is allowed. Food should be delivered to rooms in wrapped containers or on covered trays.
- Guests may purchase prepackaged items, such as granola bars, crackers, or canned or bottled beverages and take them to their rooms.
Swimming pools, spas, and fitness rooms must close
- Swimming pools and spas in hotels must be closed.
- Fitness rooms in hotels must be closed.
Public swimming pools and spas must be closed
- Swimming pools and spas at fitness centers, recreation centers, and municipal pools must be closed.
- Swimming pools and spas at apartment buildings, condominiums, and homeowners associations must be closed.
Some therapy pools may remain open
Pools used exclusively for rehabilitation or medical care under the direction of a physical therapist or other licensed medical professional may remain open.
Swimming pools, spas, and fitness rooms must close
- Swimming pools and spas at manufactured home parks/recreational campgrounds must be closed.
- Fitness rooms at manufactured home parks/recreational campgrounds must be closed.
- Arcades, game rooms, and other similar recreational or entertainment facilities must be closed.
Campsites and retail food stores may remain open
- Encourage social distancing in common areas such as toilets and shower facilities, coin-operated laundry, retail operations, and front-counter operations.
- Encourage online registration and payment to promote social distancing.
Storm shelters must remain open
Manufactured home parks with 10 or more manufactured homes that are required to have a storm shelter must continue to provide access to the shelter.
Youth camps must close as defined in the executive order as a “place of public accommodation.”
For purposes of this Executive Order, "place of public accommodation" means business, or an educational, refreshment, entertainment, or recreation facility, or an institution of any kind, whether licensed or not, whose goods, services, facilities, privileges, advantages, or accommodations are extended, offered, sold, or otherwise made available to the public.
The closure will be in effect beginning no later than March 17, 2020 at 5:00 p.m. and continuing until March 27, 2020 at 5:00 p.m.
Because the COVID-19 pandemic is changing rapidly, it is important to keep up to date with new guidance. Please follow the most current information found on these websites:
The executive order directs local law enforcement and public health authorities to monitor and enforce this Executive Order in accordance with the law.
Pursuant to Minnesota Statutes 2019, section 12.45, a person who willfully violates the executive order is guilty of a misdemeanor and upon conviction must be punished by a fine not to exceed $1,000, or imprisonment for not more than 90 days.
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