You may have heard that the CDC released new guidelines on May 13 that shift recommendations around face coverings and social distancing for vaccinated individuals. They recommend anyone who has not received the vaccine should continue to follow COVID-19 guidelines around handwashing, face coverings, and social distancing. In response, Governor Walz ended Minnesota’s face covering mandate. At the time of this writing, Mayor Frey has yet to decide whether to continue to mandate face coverings in Minneapolis. If the city lifts the mask requirement, Seward Co-op will follow that lead. This news may come as a surprise to some of you, and we want to validate that a sudden change in behavior after more than a year of doing things differently can be unsettling. Seward Co-op continues to follow the city regulation around face coverings and social distancing. Curbside pick-up and delivery are still available through Seward To Go.
It’s great that so many people are vaccinated and that the vaccine is widely available. While many are anxious to return to pre-pandemic social interactions, it’s important to acknowledge there are still people who cannot get vaccinated. We also know the pandemic has disproportionately impacted people over the age of 65 and service workers, many of whom are Black and brown people. In solidarity, we welcome and encourage face coverings and social distancing while in Seward Co-op stores.
I want to extend gratitude to our staff who has been working on the front lines since the beginning of the pandemic. Support and compassion from community members are noticed and appreciated. Thank you for your patience and understanding as we continue to navigate the COVID-19 pandemic.
In cooperation,
Ray Williams, Co-op Operations Manager
Seward Community Co-op
***Update for Clarity, 5/14/21, 4:05 PM. In our statement above it was not clear that the mask mandate is still in place until otherwise specified. As we continue to follow the lead of local government, we adhere to this mandate. Seward Co-op apologizes for the lack of clarity with our previous communication.