Three things to know about COVID-19 in Minnesota today:
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The Minnesota Department of Health is expected to announce an increase in vaccine doses for people aged 65 and over, and more ways to obtain these vaccines.
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About 7.6 percent of Minnesota residents received at least one dose of the vaccine; 2 percent received both doses.
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On the previous week’s average, the number of new COVID-19 cases reported in Minnesota each day dropped to less than 1,000 on Sunday for the first time in more than four months.
The Minnesota Department of Health is expected to announce the next steps in the state’s COVID-19 vaccination effort on Monday.
After two weeks of a pilot program – for people aged 65 and over and educators – that tested the logistics of the community’s vaccination clinics, a state health official said Sunday night that the Department of Health should announce:
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“Significantly more” vaccine doses designed for Minnesotans aged 65 and over, available not only at community vaccination sites, but also by appointment at clinics, hospitals and pharmacies across the state.
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Permanent community vaccination sites will open next week in Minneapolis, Duluth and at a location in southern Minnesota to be determined, with additional sites opening in the coming weeks.
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An online map that directs Minnesota residents to providers in their area who are administering vaccines.
More details will be announced on Monday.
Although there is still not enough vaccine to meet demand, state health officials said the infrastructure now installed will accelerate vaccinations as soon as more doses are available.
The update will come when the latest report from health officials shows that about 418,000 Minnesota residents – 7.6 percent of the state’s residents – received at least one dose of the COVID-19 vaccine.
Nearly 112,000 people – about 2 percent of the state’s residents – received both doses to complete the vaccination.
Meanwhile, COVID-19 figures in Minnesota continue to move in a positive direction in early February.
At last week’s average, the number of new COVID cases reported in Minnesota each day dropped to less than 1,000 on Sunday for the first time in more than four months. The average number of COVID-19 hospital admissions and deaths each day also continues to fall, as does the average test positivity rate.
Here are the current ones from Minnesota COVID-19 Statistics:
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6,200 deaths (13 new)
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461,807 positive cases (996 new); 446,137 out of isolation (97 percent)
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6.6 million tests, 3.3 million tested Minnesotans (about 56 percent of the population)
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Positive test rate of 3.3 percent in seven days (employees consider 5 percent or more worrying)
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7.6 percent of Minnesotans vaccinated with at least one dose
The death toll at COVID-19 in Minnesota continues to rise – reaching 6,200 on Sunday.
And health experts are closely monitoring new variants of the coronavirus, looking for any signs of an increase in the case count.
Cases spread across age groups, regions
People in their 20s still make up the age group with the highest number of confirmed cases in the state – almost 88,000 since the start of the pandemic, including more than 46,000 among people aged 20 to 24.
The number of school-age youth confirmed with the disease has also grown, with more than 35,000 cases in total between 15 and 19 years since the pandemic began.
Although they are less likely to experience the worst effects of the disease and end up hospitalized, experts fear that young people and young adults may spread the disease to older relatives and members of other vulnerable populations.
It is especially worrying because people can have the coronavirus and spread COVID-19 when they have no symptoms.
The number of cases is decreasing in all regions of the state after a blip in late December, early January.
Hot spots continue to emerge in rural counties in relation to their population.
The number of cases is even heavier among people of color
In Minnesota and across the country, COVID-19 hit communities of color disproportionately in cases and deaths. This was especially true for Minnesota residents during much of the pandemic.
Even with the ease of counting new cases since the peak of late November, early December, the data show that people of color remain the hardest hit.
Mistrust in the government, along with deep-seated health and economic disparities, has hampered efforts to increase testing among communities of color, officials say, especially among unauthorized immigrants who fear that their personal information could be used to deport them.
Similar trends were observed among indigenous Minnesota residents during the pandemic. The number of indigenous people increased in October in relation to the population.
COVID-19 in Minnesota
The data in these charts are based on the Minnesota Department of Health cumulative totals released daily at 11 am You can find more detailed statistics on COVID-19 at Department of Health website.
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