COVID-19 update: Minnesota has 35k vaccine doses to distribute this week

Published 11:30 am Monday, February 1, 2021

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State health officials say they’re prepared to distribute 35,000 COVID-19 vaccine doses this week to Minnesotans 65 and older.

An announcement from Gov. Tim Walz’s office Monday morning calls the plan an “all of the above” approach that will offer shots at clinics, community vaccination sites and hospitals around Minnesota.

The effort includes a new online vaccination finder, which follows an online lottery system. Last week, officials said more than 226,000 people signed up online and by phone for a chance at one of the roughly 8,000 doses available.

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The plan also includes two large-scale community vaccination sites in Minneapolis and Duluth. A third vaccination site for southern Minnesota is also in the works.

The update comes as the most recent report from health officials shows about 418,000 Minnesotans — 7.6 percent of state residents — have received at least one dose of the COVID-19 vaccine.

Nearly 112,000 people — about 2 percent of state residents — have received both doses to complete the vaccination.

South-Central Minnesota

COVID-19 cases by age group trended younger in Freeborn County among positive results released Sunday and Monday.

One child between the ages of newborn and 4 and another between 5-9 were diagnosed over the weekend. Other cases included one 10- to 14-year-old and three 15- to 19-year-olds.

The oldest cases were four in their 70s.

Freeborn County as a whole reported eight new cases on Monday, increasing the county’s cumulative case count to 2,622. Of that number, 88 are considered active cases.

No new hospitalizations were reported Monday, holding steady the total people who have been hospitalized at some point during their illness at 130.

The following are updates on other area counties:

  • Faribault County: 12 new lab-confirmed cases; 1,126 total cases
  • Mower County: 81 new lab-confirmed cases; 3,384 total cases
  • Steele County: 18 new lab-confirmed cases; 2,856 total cases
  • Waseca County: 17 new lab-confirmed cases; 1,971 total cases

Minnesota reported two more deaths – none in south-central Minnesota – caused by COVID-19 Wednesday, along with 727 new cases.