Governor Walz has extended the order for Minnesotans to stay at home through May 18th -- but what exactly does that mean?

It means the Governor is asking us to only leave our homes when absolutely necessary (or to get some fresh air outdoors away from others). You can get gas, groceries, alcohol -- all the stuff you need to get by. Grabbing some take-out food is also fine.

You can go to the doctor, or take care of family members that need help too.

During this extension, landscaping and lawn care businesses have been cleared to go back to work. Many retailers will also be allowed to re-open for delivery or curbside pickup.

Governor Walz added:

From building out critical hospital capacity to launching a landmark testing strategy, Minnesota has made meaningful progress in preparing for the worst of the COVID-19 pandemic. Minnesotans have made this possible by staying home and holding down the rate of infection. But now is not the time for sudden movements. There’s more work to be done, and we need to keep this virus at a simmer, not a boil. Our action today prioritizes the safety of Minnesotans while taking cautious, strategic steps toward getting people safely back to work.

But really, and this is still the critical part: we absolutely need to lock down and stay away from others as much as possible. We've been doing really well so far in Minnesota, and now is not the time to let up.

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The governor said that if we continue to do well across the state, we can expect more loosening of restrictions in the not too distant future.

You can view the full executive order from the Governor regarding the extension of the stay at home guidance HERE.

Kelly & I, along with Ashli and Abbey are broadcasting from home with kids and pets. We look forward to seeing you when this is over.

#StayHomeMN

Pete Hanson is on 98.1 Minnesota's New Country weekday mornings from 5:30 to 10:00.