Minnesota Governir Tim Walz said he plans to announce Friday one of the most significant rollbacks of coronavirus restrictions in Minnesota since the pandemic began last year. He is speaking at 11 a.m. local time on Friday.
“They will be probably our biggest turn because we’re at a point where we have not been since this thing started, and it will start to give guidance on larger gatherings starting as early as April,” Walz said Thursday during a visit to a Twin Cities high school.
How to watch Gov. Walz’s announcement today
- What: Minnesota Governor Tim Walz announces “biggest’ dial back yet of COVID-19 restrictions in the state
- Date: Friday, March 12, 2021
- Time: 11 a.m. local time; 12 p.m. ET
- Location: Minnesota
- Online stream: Live on CBSN Minnesota in the player above and on your mobile or streaming device
Walz was expected to provide details on the development during an address Friday morning, the Star Tribune reported.
The state has made extraordinary progress in vaccinations in the past month, Walz said in a statement. “Nearly 1.2 million Minnesotans have the shot, and almost 650,000 are fully vaccinated. We beat our goal by weeks and got more than 70% of seniors vaccinated,” Walz said. “More Minnesotans are now eligible for the vaccine and we are getting more than 40,000 shots into arms each day.”
“Like spring in Minnesota, hope is on the horizon,” he said. “To end this pandemic and get back to everything we love, we need all Minnesotans to roll up your sleeves and get your shot when it’s your turn.”
The governor also urged caution over new COVID-19 variants. State health officials said Thursday that Minnesota detected its first case of the B.1.351 variant first discovered in South Africa.
“I think the next three or four weeks will determine how this pandemic ends,” he said.
