Timberwolves Nix Mask Mandates, Effective Immediately
The masks are coming off in Minnesota, as the Timberwolves announced Thursday that masks will no longer be required for fans attending games.
Thursday night's matchup against the Grizzlies will be the first game at Target Center with this change.
“Fans attending games at Target Center will not be required to wear a mask while inside the arena," the Timberwolves said in a statement, via Yahoo Sports' Chris Haynes. "This immediate action follows the City’s lifting of the mask mandate announced this morning.”
The twin cities of Minnesota and St. Paul lifted their indoor mask mandates Thursday after initially putting the mandate in place on Jan. 5. Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey and St. Paul Mayor Melvin Carter both cited decreasing COVID-19 case numbers for doing away with the mandate.
While masks will still be required in buildings owned and operated by the cities, businesses are free to implement their own rules.
"Encouraging downward trends have improved our outlook significantly since January," Carter said in a statement, via the Star Tribune. "I urge our community to continue following public health guidance and keep our momentum going."
New York has also started to ease off of COVID-19 restrictions. Gov. Kathy Hochul lifted the state's indoor mask mandate on Feb. 10 as positive cases continue to decrease.
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