Latest on COVID-19 in MN: Vaccination rate rises; optics in active cases

3 things to know:

• More than 22 percent of Minnesotans with at least 1 dose of vaccination

• Nearly 13 percent of state residents have completed vaccinations

• Number of active cases rises above 8,500

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Updated 12 pm

Here’s Minnesota’s current COVID-19 statistics:

• 6 746 deaths (5 new)

• 497 392 positive cases; 97 percent discount on insulation

• 22.3 percent of Minnesotans with at least 1 dose

• 74.9 percent 65 and older with at least 1 dose

The rate of COVID-19 vaccinations in Minnesota increased Sunday, with the latest update from state health officials averaging more than 43,000 doses each day over the past week – the highest on record.

Nearly three-quarters of Minnesotans 65 and older received at least one dose of COVID-19 vaccine; more than 22 percent of all residents of the state received at least one dose.

But at the same time, the number of known active cases of the disease in Minnesota has continued to increase to 8,593 since Sunday’s update. That is less than 7,000 early in the previous week, and the highest number was in more than a month, although it was still well below the peak of more than 51,000 in November.

‘Active cases’ refers to the total number of people who have tested positive over the past few days but still need to isolate themselves.

Government officials have stressed that even if more Minnesotans are vaccinated, they should continue to wear masks and follow physical distance guidelines to prevent the spread of the coronavirus, especially with COVID-19 variants confirmed in the state.

‘It’s just very important that we suppress things, even though more people are being vaccinated. It really is a race against time. “People are being vaccinated before these variants can take hold,” Jan Malcolm, health commissioner, told reporters on Friday.

While officials are watching the recent increase in active affairs, overall trends have improved to where government Tim Walz has announced a return of many of the remaining pandemic restrictions in the state.

“Normality is at hand,” Walz said in comments Friday.

Vaccination progress

Vaccinations are a big part of optimism. Data from the Department of Health show that more than 700,000 people – 12.7 percent of the state’s population – have completed their vaccinations, while more than 1.2 million – about 22.3 percent – have received at least one dose. .

Because doses are dispensed once a week, the state often sees the vaccinations jump from Thursday to Sunday.

Pandemic statistics show active cases

The increase in active cases is notable given the concern about the increase in the British COVID-19 strain in Minnesota.

The hospitalization rate rose slightly on Sunday, but is still at the levels last seen before late autumn in cases: 240 people have been admitted to hospital since Thursday, with 66 in need of intensive care.

Five recently reported deaths put Minnesota’s collective number of pandemics on Sunday at 7,646. Among the deceased, about 63 percent lived in long-term care or assistance facilities; most had underlying health problems.

The state has so far recorded 497,392 confirmed or probable cases in the pandemic, including 997 posted Saturday. About 97 percent of Minnesotans known to be infected with COVID-19 in the pandemic have recovered to the point that they no longer need to be isolated.

Cases spread across age groups, regions

People in their 20s still form the age group with the largest number of confirmed cases in the state – more than 93,000 since the pandemic began, including more than 49,000 under the age of 20 to 24.

The number of high school teens confirmed with the disease has also grown, with more than 39,000 cases since the pandemic between the ages of 15 and 19.

As children increasingly return to school buildings and sports, Minnesota public health officials are appealing to Minnesota families with children to be tested for COVID-19 every two weeks until the end of the school year.

Although young people are less likely to experience the worst effects of the disease and are eventually admitted to hospital, experts are concerned that the youth will unknowingly spread it to older family members and members of other vulnerable populations.

People can have the coronavirus and spread COVID-19 if they have no symptoms.

Regionally, all parts of Minnesota are in significantly better condition than at the end of November and early December. In some areas, improvements are seen in some cases.

Cases are still the heaviest among coloreds

In Minnesota and across the country, COVID-19 hit communities of color excessively hard in both cases and deaths. This is especially true for Minnesotans of Spanish descent for much of the pandemic.

Although the number of new cases is still lower than the end of November, in early December, the data show that Latino people are still being hit hard.

The distrust of the government, coupled with deep-rooted health and economic disparities, hampered efforts to promote testing among color communities, officials say, especially among unauthorized immigrants who fear their personal information could be used to deport it.

Walz acknowledged that mistrust by color communities was a problem during the pandemic. Officials presented some details about vaccinations, by race and ethnicity. The state is expected to update the data weekly.

Minnesota Health Commissioner Jan Malcolm said the state is committed to doing more to expand access to vaccines for people of color, including getting more doses at community pharmacies, partnering with local groups and setting up mobile vaccination clinics. set.

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COVID-19 in Minnesota

The data in these graphs are based on the cumulative totals of the Department of Health in Minnesota released daily at 11 p.m. You can find more information about COVID-19 at Website of the Department of Health.

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Latest developments

More pharmacies in Minnesota administering COVID vaccine

Governor Tim Walz announced on Saturday that CVS Health and Goodrich Pharmacy have been added to the extensive network of pharmacies that vaccinate Minnesotans in the state.

Minnesota now has five pharmacies with dozens of locations participating in the Federal Retail Pharmacy Program, which is a collaboration between the federal government, states and territories, and 21 national pharmacy partners and independent pharmacy networks. Other pharmacies and healthcare providers offer vaccinations by the state.

Three CVS pharmacies in Target stores in Duluth, Rochester and Eden Prairie are getting 3,510 doses of vaccine this week, according to the governor’s office. Pharmacy Goodrich in the north of the Twin Cities metro will receive 1170 doses of vaccinations this week.

“As the federal government’s vaccine supply continues to increase, we’re building the path so that your COVID-19 vaccine can be as easy as making an appointment online and entering your local CVS at Target or pharmacy,” Walz said news release. “We will continue to mobilize every option to get more life-saving shots into more arms as quickly as possible and end this pandemic together.”

Appointments at CVS and Goodrich Pharmacy will be available in the coming days, and the venues and contact information for scheduling appointments will be available on the Vaccine Locator and Vaccine Connector websites when the information becomes available.

– Staff of Associated Press and MPR News

Top headlines

Walz OKs bigger events, fans at Twins games: The governor’s latest downside will allow people to gather in larger groups indoors and outdoors, while pubs and restaurants can serve 75 percent.

President Biden calls on all U.S. adults to be eligible for vaccinations by May 1: President Joe Biden intends to start finding some normalcy in the country and move on from the coronavirus pandemic by the fourth holiday, Biden announced in his first White House speech on Thursday night. year anniversary of the pandemic.

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