Minnesota first-dose COVID-19 vaccine rate nears 60% 70% could be reached about June 7 and end mask mandate, but rate is slipping. May 7, 2021 6:14pm Text size Copy shortlink:
Minnesota s COVID-19 vaccination rate of eligible people 16 and older remained just below 60%, but the reporting on Friday of nearly 14,000 more first-dose shots nudged the state toward Gov. Tim Walz s 70% trigger for ending its indoor mask mandate.
The total of 2,628,225 people 16 and older who have received at least a first dose of COVID-19 vaccine left Minnesota 459,179 shots short of reaching that statistical goal.
In announcing the goal on Thursday, Walz said he hoped it would persuade more people to seek shots in exchange for a quicker return to normalcy though he ultimately pledged to end the mask mandate no later than July 1.
Variants threaten rollback of Minnesota s COVID restrictions Walz will ease restrictions as cases drop, vaccination rate moves closer to 70%. May 5, 2021 4:00pm Text size Copy shortlink:
Minnesota has stepped up its genomic sequencing of COVID-19 patient samples to more quickly identify emerging viral variants amid the state s plans to phase out its pandemic restrictions, including the indoor mask mandate.
While Gov. Tim Walz is scheduled Thursday to announce a three-phase plan to eliminate business and social restrictions because of improving case numbers, state health officials said close monitoring of more infectious variants of the virus that causes COVID-19 is needed to prevent any resurgence in pandemic activity. The B.1.1.7 variant found in England largely caused Minnesota s latest wave of infections.
Copy shortlink:
A relaxation of COVID-19 restrictions is expected to be announced Thursday along with a 70% vaccination target that could trigger significant reductions in remaining mitigation strategies in Minnesota.
Gov. Tim Walz declined to give specifics at a public appearance Tuesday, but in previous events he has said the next incremental changes would likely involve expanded capacity limits for businesses and entertainment venues. He predicted a very normal looking summer if Minnesota can proceed from a rate of 59% of eligible people who have received some vaccine to 70%, perhaps in June. Minnesotans have done what was asked, Walz said. We out-vaccinated that surge where hospitals were getting overwhelmed in states like Michigan and now in Oregon. It didn t happen in Minnesota because we re still doing the mitigation efforts and we re still vaccinating. . The projections look incredibly good.