jsorensen@fairmontsentinel.com
FAIRMONT — According to a joint release from Public Health services, Mayo Health System of Fairmont, United Hospital District of Blue Earth, Dulcimer Medical Center, County Emergency Management, and the South Central Health Care Coalition, as of March 5, 2021, 4,391 Martin County individuals have received at least their first vaccination for COVID-19. 18 percent of the population has received at least one dose. 35 percent of the population of people age 65 and older have received vaccinations.
In Faribault County, 2,975 individuals have received at least their first vaccination for COVID-19. 18 percent of the total population has received at least one dose.
It is expected that the state will hit its target of vaccinating 70 percent of those over age 65 this week. Local public health and health care providers are preparing to move into the next tier of vaccinations which includes people with specific high-risk conditions (sickle cell disease, Down Syndrome, active cancer treatment, immunocompromised from organ transplant, chronic lung and heart conditions – COPD and CHF) as well as employees of food processing plants. It is expected that this next phase may start as soon as the week of March 15, 2021.