Feb. 14 update on COVID in MN: Nearly 12 percent of Minnesotans have at least one vaccine dose
3 things to know:
Key metrics continue to show improvement
Daily vaccination trend ticking upward, with nearly 40K doses reported administered Sunday
Minnesota ranks 24th among states in per capita vaccine doses administered
Updated: 1:20 p.m.
Nearly 12 percent of Minnesota residents have now received at least their first dose of a COVID-19 vaccine, as the pace of vaccinations in the state has ticked upward in recent days.
State health officials on Sunday reported nearly 39,000 more vaccine doses administered — the fourth-biggest single-day total on record. It was a drop from Saturday’s total — but slightly ahead of what was reported last Sunday.
Minnesota now ranks 24th among states in doses administered per 100,000 people, according to data collected by the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. That’s up from 28th the previous day. With federal vaccine shipments rising, the pace of vaccinations may increase in the coming days.
Officials have been emphasizing over the past weeks that the relatively low flow of vaccine supplies from the federal government is the main problem holding back the pace of vaccinations. There’s data to back that up.
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Nearly 34 percent of Minnesotans 65 and older have now been vaccinated.
Meanwhile, Minnesota’s latest COVID-19 data continues to offer reasons to be encouraged about the pandemic’s path. Key trend lines around the disease continued to move in the right direction — down.
Hospitalization counts remain steady at late September/early October levels. The trend line for known, active caseloads remains at levels not seen since late September.
Here are Minnesota’s current COVID-19 statistics:
6,376 deaths (seven new)
473,567 positive cases (779 new), 459,525 off isolation (97 percent)
6.97 million tests, 3.37 million Minnesotans tested (about 59 percent of the population)
11.9 percent of Minnesotans vaccinated with at least one dose
About 97 percent of Minnesotans known to be infected with COVID-19 in the pandemic have recovered to the point they no longer need to be isolated.
State officials continue to caution that the hopeful trends are still tenuous, noting the new virus strains arriving in the United States, including two cases of the Brazilian strain and 18 of the U.K. variant confirmed so far in Minnesota.
Cases spread across age groups, regions
People in their 20s still make up the age bracket with the state’s largest number of confirmed cases — more than 89,000 since the pandemic began, including more than 47,000 among people ages 20 to 24.
The number of high school-age youth confirmed with the disease has also grown, with more than 36,000 total cases among those ages 15 to 19 since the pandemic began.
Although less likely to feel the worst effects of the disease and end up hospitalized, experts worry youth and young adults will spread it unknowingly to older relatives and members of other vulnerable populations.
People can have the coronavirus and spread COVID-19 when they don’t have symptoms.
Cases are trending down across all regions of the state following a late December, early January blip.
Caseloads still heaviest among people of color
In Minnesota and across the country, COVID-19 has hit communities of color disproportionately hard in both cases and deaths. That’s been especially true for Minnesotans of Hispanic descent for much of the pandemic.
Even as new case counts continue to fall from their late November, early December peaks, the data shows Latino people continue to be hit hard.
Distrust of the government, together with deeply rooted health and economic disparities, have hampered efforts to boost testing among communities of color, officials say, especially among unauthorized immigrants who fear their personal information may be used to deport them.
Health Commissioner Jan Malcolm on Thursday also acknowledged the need to ensure that vaccination opportunities be spread equitably.
Malcolm said the state will release data soon regarding vaccinations, race and ethnicity. Officials say they’re trying to improve the quality of data. Per state law, it's been shared voluntarily, and so may be inconsistent.
COVID-19 in Minnesota
Data in these graphs are based on the Minnesota Department of Health's cumulative totals released at 11 a.m. daily. You can find more detailed statistics on COVID-19 at the Health Department website.
Latest developments
St. Cloud VA starts vaccinating essential workers
The St. Cloud VA Health Care System is now offering the COVID-19 vaccine to veterans who are also front-line essential workers.
The St. Cloud VA has been vaccinating its health care workers, long-term care residents and veterans 75 and older. Now, VA officials are scheduling vaccines for enrolled veterans who are front-line essential workers, regardless of age or health condition. They include first responders, teachers, grocery store, postal workers, corrections officers and those who work in food, agriculture, manufacturing and public transit.
J.D. Anderson, chief of pharmacy at the St. Cloud, said they've seen strong interest among veterans in getting the vaccine.
"I think we had two no-shows in the last two days, even though we've been we've had steady below zero temps,” Anderson said. “We have a very hardy group that is very eager to receive vaccination."
Anderson added that the VA is preparing to move to the next phase, which includes veterans 65 and older, and those with underlying health conditions.
— Kirsti Marohn | MPR News
Walz’s emergency powers extended, again, for another month
DFL Gov. Tim Walz has again extended his emergencies powers to coordinate Minnesota's response to the pandemic.
The latest extension through March 15 means that Minnesota will have been in a peacetime emergency for at least a year.
Walz said fellow Democrats who control the House have been willing to tackle issues such as a statewide face covering mandate. But he said the Republicans who control the state Senate have refused to act, leaving him no choice but to issue executive orders.
"If I won't want hundreds of thousands of Minnesotans to be evicted, if I don't my ability to order PPE and to shift the national guard to give vaccine, all of that would end if the emergency orders that are being used by 49 out of 50 governors are brought back," the governor said.
Walz first signed an executive order last March that allows him to expedite contracts, mobilize the National Guard and make other unilateral decisions to manage the pandemic. In his latest order, Walz said increased vaccination and recent infection trends leave him with hope that the pandemic is beginning to wind down.
— Brian Bakst and Mark Zdechlik | MPR News
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