Minnesota Department of Health (MDH) announced updated quarantine guidance on Dec. 7, 2020. This guidance is on Close Contacts and Tracing. We are working to update other areas of the website, documents, and other materials as quickly as possible.
These updates are based on Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) guidance that shortens quarantine in certain situations. CDC: Options to Reduce Quarantine for Contacts of Persons with SARS-CoV-2 Infection Using Symptom Monitoring and Diagnostic Testing
Businesses and Employers: COVID-19
Minnesota's Stay Safe Plan
As we continue the process of reopening our economy and returning to work and activities we enjoy, we must continue social distancing practices to save lives and stay safe. This plan outlines Minnesota's phased in approach to reopening various business and social settings.
General business guidance
- Stay Safe Guidance for All Business Entities
Includes the official guidance for all businesses in multiple languages, preparedness plan template and instructions, and other business guidance materials.
Planning guidance
- COVID-19 Preparedness Plan Overview for Businesses and Employers
Quick reference for developing and implementing a COVID-19 Preparedness Plan.
Health guidance
The health department and CDC have made available several guidance documents for employers.
- COVID-19 Recommendations for Critical Infrastructure Businesses and Industries (PDF)
Updated 11/9/20
- Decision Tree and Narrative for Critical Infrastructure Businesses and Industries (PDF)
12/7/20
- Employee Exposure to COVID-19: Contact Tracing Guidelines for Critical Infrastructure Businesses and Industries (PDF)
Updated 11/30/20
- Visitor and Employee Health Screening Checklist (PDF)
Updated 12/10/20 - What To Do if an Employee has COVID-19 (PDF)
Updated 8/3/20
- COVID-19 Employee Screening and Testing Recommendations for Industry (PDF)
6/10/20
- CDC: Reducing the Spread of COVID-19 in Workplaces
See the question on screening employees for COVID-19 symptoms (such as temperature checks) for additional guidance.
- COVID-19: When to Return to Work (PDF)
12/16/20- Amharic: COVID-19: When to Return to Work (PDF)
- Arabic: COVID-19: When to Return to Work (PDF)
- Chinese: COVID-19: When to Return to Work (PDF)
- Hmong: COVID-19: When to Return to Work (PDF)
- Karen: COVID-19: When to Return to Work (PDF)
- Lao: COVID-19: When to Return to Work (PDF)
- Oromo: COVID-19: When to Return to Work (PDF)
- Russian: COVID-19: When to Return to Work (PDF)
- Somali: COVID-19: When to Return to Work (PDF)
- Spanish: COVID-19: When to Return to Work (PDF)
- Vietnamese: COVID-19: When to Return to Work (PDF)
- Materials and Resources for COVID-19 Response
Posters such as social distancing at work, health screening, and more available for download and print.
Food industry guidance
Due to the critical nature of maintaining our food supplies, care and caution should be taken by employers in this industry to ensure health and safety standards are being met for employees. Guidance for food industry operations of various types can be found on Food Safety during the COVID-19 Pandemic.
Meat processing
- COVID-19 Health and Safety Guidelines for the Meatpacking Industry (PDF)
For translations, see DLI: MNOSHA Compliance: Novel coronavirus (COVID-19)
4/19/20
Food processing and manufacturing
- COVID-19 Health and Safety Guidelines for Food Processors and Manufacturers (PDF)
5/19/20
- Food Processing and Manufacturing COVID-19 Best Practices Checklist (PDF)
6/4/20
Additional resources
- Minnesota Department of Health Process for Assessing Situational Risk for Transmission SARS-CoV-2 (PDF)
- COVID-19 Preparedness Plan Requirements for Restaurants and Bars (PDF)
Updated 1/6/21
- Stay Safe Guidance for Gyms, Studios, and Fitness Centers
- COVID-19 Preparedness Plan Requirements for Faith-Based Communities, Places of Worship, Weddings, and Funerals (PDF)
Updated 1/7/21
- Frequently Asked Questions: Bars, Restaurants, and Other Places of Public Accommodation (PDF)
Information for the hospitality industry and regulatory agencies.
Updated 1/7/21
- Interim Guidance: Mobile Food Units at Rest Areas (PDF)
Information for the mobile food industry and regulatory agencies.
5/4/20
- COVID-19 Guidance for Hotel Managers and Owners (PDF)
Guidance for operators of lodging facilities that are open for regular business, as well as those that are being used as temporary housing for people who have been infected with or exposed to COVID-19.
Updated 1/7/21
- Guidance for Environmental Health Response to COVID-19 Cases in Regulated Business (PDF)
Guidance for state and local environmental health (EH) specialists to expand the scope of the types of outbreaks to which they typically respond.
Updated 12/14/20
- Minnesota Department of Natural Resources: Guidance for Safely Opening Outdoor Recreation
Guidelines address public health protection measures for authorized outdoor recreational facilities.
- Disaster Mental/Behavioral Health and COVID-19
Mental health and behavioral health resources specific to COVID-19.
Contact us
- IDEPC Comment Form
Use this form to contact the Minnesota Department of Health for questions or comments about health related issues or this web page. - Contact the State of Minnesota
Use this contact form for questions or comments related to businesses and employment or other non-health related issues.
Minnesota Helpline:
For questions related to the COVID-19 pandemic, call 651-297-1304 or 1-800-657-3504
Mon.-Fri.: 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Mental Health Crisis Line - Call: **CRISIS (**274747)
COVID-19 information in other languages:
- Kab Mob Khaus Las Nas Vais Lav 2019 (COVID-19)
(Hmong) - Cudurka Koronafayras 2019 (COVID-19)
(Somali) - Enfermedad del Coronavirus 2019 (COVID-19)
(Spanish) - American Sign Language (ASL) Videos
Contact us:
If you have questions or comments about this page, use our IDEPC Comment Form or call 651-201-5414 for the MDH Infectious Disease Epidemiology, Prevention and Control Division.