Right now, Minnesota is showing the country you don't win elections to bank political capital – you win elections to burn political capital and improve lives. We’re leading the nation on climate, gun safety, and protecting reproductive rights. We’re investing in education and ensuring no child has to learn on an empty stomach. We’re expanding voting rights, expanding workers' rights, and reducing child poverty.

Minnesota is ready. The President’s announcement tonight is the shot in the arm we all need. With a strong federal partner, and the work we have done in Minnesota to prepare, we are ready to meet this moment and end this pandemic. From a stable and growing supply of vaccine, to reliable information, to a comprehensive national strategy, President Biden and his team have given us the tools we need to get shots into arms as quickly as possible.

So let me tell you a crazy story about the journey roughly 9,000 vaccine doses took to Minnesota yesterday. It should have been a simple trip from IL to MN, but it turned in to quite the epic saga involving the White House, four different states, and finally @MNNationalGuard saving the day with late night deliveries to all four corners of the state.

Since the beginning of this pandemic, we’ve followed the best data available. And today, we're announcing targeted, science-based changes to get the spread of the virus under control so we can care for those who fall ill, get our kids in the classroom, and keep businesses open. Our team, with guidance from the White House, has spent countless hours analyzing testing results and contract tracing data to understand who, when, and where this virus is moving around our state.

Today we announced a cautious, measured turning of the dial toward a new normal. Our Stay Home Order will be replaced with one that encourages Minnesotans to stay close to home and allows retail stores and main streets to safely open. We asked you to take drastic action. We asked you to stay home to slow the spread and give us time to prepare. And with that time we built out hospital capacity, we increased ventilators and ICU beds, we sourced critical care and PPE, and we launched a landmark testing strategy.