Cooler but still well above normal this week

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The average number of new COVID-19 cases in Minnesota each day remained below 1,000 on Sunday, the lowest level seen in more than two months.

But the pace of COVID vaccinations in Minnesota — despite a slight increase — also remained stuck near its lowest point in more than two months.

Averaged over the past week, as of Sunday the state is administering fewer than 36,000 vaccine doses each day. That’s down from more than 48,000 a day at the start of May, and more than 60,000 a day at the peak in April.

It’s not clear how Minnesota’s decision to 

 as of Friday will affect the vaccination effort going forward. Officials, though, acknowledge they need to do more to get unvaccinated Minnesotans to get their shots.

What to know about MN's COVID restriction rollback

“The virus is still out there in our community,” state infectious disease director Kris Ehresmann told reporters Friday. “It's still very much a threat to those who are not vaccinated.”

Ehresmann noted that some settings — particularly health care facilities and public transit — will still require masks, even with the state mandate ended.

Analysis of COVID-19 data in Minnesota

How to get a COVID-19 shot in Minnesota

COVID-19 in Minnesota

From across Minnesota

From MPR News

Active cases, hospitalizations trending down

Despite the slow vaccination pace, the disease metrics continue to show Minnesota’s spring case surge easing. The new-case trend remains below 1,000 a day, the lowest it’s been in nearly two months.

The count of known, active COVID-19 cases came in Sunday at 8,793 — less than half its most recent high of around 20,000 in mid-April, and the lowest level since March 17.

As of Friday there were 464 people hospitalized with COVID-19 in Minnesota; 123 needed intensive care. Both figures continue to trend down from their recent peaks. New hospital admissions have dropped significantly.

Ten newly reported deaths Sunday put Minnesota’s pandemic toll at 7,296. Among those who have died, about 60 percent had been living in long-term care or assisted-living facilities; most had underlying health problems.

The state has recorded 594,427 total confirmed or probable cases so far in the pandemic, including the 805 posted Sunday. About 97 percent of Minnesotans known to be infected with COVID-19 in the pandemic have recovered to the point where they no longer need to isolate.

Regionally, all parts of Minnesota are in better shape than they were in late November and early December. Case counts had crept up across the state during April, but the trend appears to have peaked.

Officials continue to implore Minnesotans to keep their guard up during proms, graduations and other spring events, noting that more contagious COVID-19 variants are driving new cases across the state.

While the overall trends are solid, officials are increasingly concerned about the spread of COVID-19 in younger people. They’ve been urging 

more testing of middle and high school students

 and weekly testing for athletes, coaches, referees and other youth sports participants. 

People in their 20s still make up the age bracket with the state’s largest number of confirmed cases — more than 110,000 since the pandemic began. 

The number of high school-age youth confirmed with the disease has also grown, with more than 48,000 15-to-19-year-olds known to be infected during the pandemic. 

Although young people are less likely to feel the worst effects of the disease and end up hospitalized, experts worry they will spread it unknowingly to older relatives and members of other vulnerable populations. Those with the COVID-19 virus can spread it when they don’t have symptoms.

About teenagers and the COVID-19 vaccine in MN

More than 2.7 million residents 16 and older now have at least one vaccine dose; more than 2.3 million have completed their vaccinations as of Sunday’s update. 

That works out to about 52.7 percent of the 16-and-older population completely vaccinated and more than 61 percent with at least one shot, including 88 percent of those 65 and older. 

The vaccination pace has plummeted in recent weeks. Minnesota’s seven-day average rate of new first-dose vaccinations fell below 10,000 a day on Friday for the first time since Jan. 24, and remained almost unchanged in Saturday’s and Sunday’s updates.

Minnesota’s looking at some possible incentives to attract those still unvaccinated to get their shots. Gov. Tim Walz has broached the idea of free fishing licenses to people who get vaccinated, as a possible idea. “We’ll continue to explore that,” Minnesota Health Commissioner Jan Malcolm told reporters Friday.

Eligible Minnesotans can now walk in for a COVID-19 vaccination without an appointment at the state’s 

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 

How to get a COVID-19 vaccine in Minnesota

Tracking the vaccination progress in the U.S.

Full coverage of the coronavirus pandemic

Despite new guidance, masks still required in Minnesota school buildings

Minnesota school leaders are reminding families, students and staff that masks are still required in school buildings. 

Gov. Tim Walz lifted Minnesota’s mask mandate Friday, but said students and staff need to continue to wear masks through the end of the school year.

Deb Henton, the executive director of the Minnesota Association of School Administrators, said school leaders have been getting angry and concerned emails about the new guidance.

“There’s a fair amount of frustration on the part of our school leaders who’ve had a long year and who’ve held firm and have followed the mandates,” Henton said, “and then we now have something that seems to be contradictory and a really hard message for some of our kids and families to receive.”

Children ages 12 to 15 received federal approval for the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine earlier this week, while younger students are still not eligible for vaccination.

Could teenagers make vaccinations cool again?: 

Teenagers are now a crucial part of public health officials’ efforts to get more people vaccinated now that the Pfizer vaccine has been approved for children 12 and older. This isn’t the first time that teenagers have played an important role in a vaccination campaign. More than 50 years ago, they helped popularize the polio vaccine.

Teens jump at appointments, ahead of anticipated COVID-19 vaccine expansion:

Middle schoolers across Minnesota are already signing up for COVID-19 vaccine appointments, anticipating that by the end of this week, they’ll be newly eligible to take their first big step toward life as they used to know it.

Minnesota News

Health

NewsPartners

COVID-19

MPR News Staff

Author

The average number of new COVID-19 cases in Minnesota each day is at the lowest level seen in more than two months. But the pace of COVID vaccinations in Minnesota also remains stuck near its lowest point in more than two months.

A woman in a mask fills a syringe with vaccine from a vial

Paul Middlestaedt | MPR News file

Newly reported COVID-19 vaccine doses in Minnesota

David H. Montgomery | MPR News

Graph showing when Minnesota is on target to vaccinated 70% of adults

Active, confirmed COVID-19 cases in Minnesota

Graph of new ICU and non-ICU COVID-19 hospitalizations

New COVID-19 related deaths reported in Minnesota each day

New Minnesota COVID-19 cases by age, adjusted for population

Graph projecting when most Minnesotans will get vaccinated

May 16 update on COVID-19 in MN: Vaccination pace remains near lowest point since February

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