Minneapolis and Saint Paul mayors lifted the mask mandate for public indoor spaces Feb. 24, citing declining COVID-19 infection and hospitalization rates as the main reason for the decision.

The former regulation required a mask to be worn in areas of public accommodation, which included any indoor locations where people gather such as bars, restaurants, museums, theaters, schools, recreational facilities, retail locations and service offices. Both mayors left the mask mandate in place for city-managed buildings. 

The University of Minnesota still has a mask requirement in all facilities, which has been in place since Aug. 3. University administration has yet to respond to the update. 

This decision comes two weeks after the announcement to end the vaccine-or-test mandate in indoor public accommodations that serve food and drink. 

“Today, the Twin Cities has good reason to be hopeful for the future, and I know that our residents will continue stepping up for one another as we navigate this next phase together,” Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey said in a press release.

According to a statement from the City of Minneapolis, positivity rates in Minneapolis have been dropping with a rate of 135 per 100,000 individuals per 7-days and positivity rates below the high-risk threshold.

This is the second time the city has enacted and rescinded a mask mandate for indoor locations across the city, with the first being May 2020 after cases continued to force business closures. Frey implemented the  second indoor mask mandate Jan. 5 after cases spiked due to the Omicron surge.