Child Care Settings Still Required to Comply with Face Covering Guidance

Dear licensed and certified center-based and family child care providers,

On Thursday, May 13, Governor Walz announced an end to the statewide mask requirement, aligning Minnesota with new Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) guidance on face coverings. CDC announced Thursday that fully vaccinated individuals no longer need to wear a mask, either indoors or outside. Executive Order 21-23 will be effective immediately upon approval by the Minnesota Executive Council, which is scheduled to meet today, Friday, May 14. Minnesotans who are not fully vaccinated are strongly recommended to wear face coverings indoors.

The CDC guidance for operating child care during COVID-19 states that even after child care providers and staff are vaccinated, there will be a need to continue prevention measures for the foreseeable future including wearing masks, physical distancing, and other important prevention strategies outlined. Under Executive Order 21-23, child care settings and other Head Start, preschool and pre-kindergarten programs serving children five-years-old and under are still required to comply with face covering and face shield guidance until 70% of the 16+ population is vaccinated or July 1 (whichever arrives sooner). This guidance is available at https://www.health.state.mn.us/diseases/coronavirus/schools/masks.html. This is consistent with schools which will continue to follow face covering requirements under the Safe Learning Plan through the end of the 2020-21 school year.

We are making great progress in our fight against COVID-19, but our children under the age of 12 are not yet eligible to be vaccinated, so we must continue to be diligent with health and safety practices.

Thank you,

Jenny Moses, Governor’s Children’s Cabinet

On behalf of participating agency leaders and staff