3 things to know
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About 52 percent of Minnesota 16-year-olds and older received at least one dose of vaccine; 36 percent are completely vaccinated
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Admission to the hospital, ICU trends remain stable; Health officials say the virus variants are likely to increase in new cases
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The Minnesota pandemic now stands at 7,031
Updated: 12:35 p.m.
As the state struggles to beat a new, more contagious version of COVID-19 with vaccines, COVID-19 cases – and the positivity rate of cases – continue to decline.
The state reported 1,189 new cases of COVID-19 on Tuesday. Meanwhile, vaccination rates remained stable, with 52% of Minnesota and 16-year-olds receiving a COVID-19 vaccine.
And while hospitalizations have generally remained unchanged from the last few days, there is still no clear decline in hospitalization data. The state reported on Tuesday 193 people in the intensive care unit and 493 people in non-ICU beds. Both figures are as high as they have been in recent months. ”
The state reported five additional deaths on Tuesday, bringing the state’s death toll to 7,031.
Here are the newest ones from Minnesota COVID-19 Statistics, starting Monday:
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7,031 deaths (five new); 558,850 positive cases; 95% reduction in insulation
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52 percent of adults with at least one dose; 36% were completely vaccinated
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About 85 percent of Minnesota people age 65 and older with at least one dose of vaccine
MPR News data reporter David Montgomery projects current vaccination data into the future to show when most Minnesota people will be vaccinated at various stages.
David H. Montgomery | MPR news
Vaccinations on the descending slide
On Tuesday, State Department of Health data showed that more than 1.6 million Minnesota people completed the full series of vaccines – two doses of Pfizer or Moderna vaccines or one dose of Johnson & Johnson vaccine – while nearly 2.3 million had received at least one dose, including about 85 percent of residents over the age of 65.
These figures have remained constant in recent days, and overall data suggest that vaccines are on a downward trend. This is partly due to reduced supplies, especially in the Johnson & Johnson vaccine, which the federal authorities discontinued last week as it investigates the possibility of rare side effects associated with the shot.
Meanwhile, supply continues to exceed demand in some parts of the state.
On Tuesday, the Mayo Clinic, which has locations in southern Minnesota, called the media that it has too many seats. In a press release, Mayo said people who are not patients of the clinic could sign up for a vaccine with them, as well as people who do not live in Minnesota.
Elsewhere, local public health, with additional doses, is collaborating with schools to vaccinate adolescents over the age of 16.
However, the data show that Minnesota, as a whole, administers vaccines almost as fast as it enters.
Hospital, ICU needs plan at winter levels
Hospitalizations have increased significantly in the last few weeks and are around unseen levels since the beginning of January. Health officials say coronavirus variants circulating in Minnesota are causing these increases.
However, the latest figures suggest that hospitalizations could peak.
The age of the nine hospitalized tends to be younger than in the previous period of the pandemic. Most people in the hospital now for COVID-19 are under 60 years old.
Six deaths on Tuesday raised the total death toll from the Minnesota pandemic to 7,031. Of those who died, about 62% lived in long-term care or assisted living facilities; most had basic health problems.
The state has so far registered 558,850 confirmed or probable cases of pandemic, including the 1,189 displayed on Tuesday. About 95 percent of Minnesota pandemics known to be infected with COVID-19 have recovered to the point where they no longer need to be isolated.
There are signs that the current wave of new cases may be waning. The percentage of positive tests for COVID-19 in the last seven days continues to decline.
Due to vaccinations, officials do not believe Minnesota will experience any kind of steep rise in cases seen in November and December.
At the regional level, all parts of Minnesota are in better shape than in late November and early December. However, the latest numbers show cases creeping across the state.
Caseloads, vaccinations among people of color
In Minnesota and across the country, COVID-19 has hit communities of color disproportionately in both cases and deaths. This has been especially true of Hispanic Minnesota for much of the pandemic.
Although the number of new cases continues to far exceed their peaks in late November and early December, data show that Latin Americans continue to be severely affected.
The pace of vaccination for people of color also remains frustratingly slow compared to Minnesota whites.
Developments around the state
County fairs still have questions
Minnesota County Fair organizers are tracking COVID-19 case numbers and vaccination rates with a mixture of hope and horror.
It is unclear what the COVID-19 landscape will look like this summer. Vaccination rates are in a tight race, with more contagious variants – and uncertainty is beginning to reach the organizers of the county fair. And planning is in full swing for fairs this summer, after many were canceled by the pandemic last year.
Woods County Lake has one of the state’s previous fairs, which is set to open in mid-July. JP Sweet, one of the planners of the fair, said that it is difficult to escape the events with certainty – or even to know how to arrange the fairgrounds – because it is not clear what the landscape will be in a few months.
“What will the restrictions look like?” What does the masking look like? Sweet said. “And where are our numbers?” Because, obviously, we don’t want to host a public event if we are in the middle of a big COVID outbreak in our community. ”
Sweet said he plans to reschedule the fair for later this summer, but that would present a completely different set of challenges. For now, he said the only option is to remain flexible and be ready to radically reduce the deal, if necessary.
“What would make a very difficult move for a county fair would be, your carnival is the biggest,” he said. “Our guy comes from New Orleans and plays several county fairs across the state.”
Carnival is reserved, years in advance. There is no rescheduling. He should cancel the carnival to move the fair itself. And without walks, Sweet said, the fair is not worth it.
– John Enger | MPR news
COVID-19 in Minnesota
The data in these charts is based on the cumulative total of the Minnesota Department of Health, released daily at 11 a.m. You can find more detailed statistics about COVID-19 at Department of Health website.
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