First sign of South African variant in Minnesota adds to COVID-19 concerns

Gov. Tim Walz on Friday will announce looser restrictions on group events in Minnesota, despite a sports-related COVID-19 outbreak in Carver County and the state's first known infection involving a variant found in South Africa.

The governor on Thursday called the switch "probably our biggest turn" in response to improving statewide pandemic indicators, and he hinted that it could permit everything from high school proms to live Minnesota Twins baseball.

"Unless we see the variants come roaring back and something goes terribly wrong, I think those things will happen," Walz said after a speech at Robbinsdale Armstrong High School to advocate for a summer learning funding plan.

https://www.startribune.com/walz-set-to-ease-covid-19-restrictions-on-groups/600033115/