Now live tweeting the 1 p.m. Minnesota Department of Health COVID briefing. Please follow along. For full coverage go to StarTribune.com.
On the line: @mnhealth's Commissioner Jan Malcolm and State Epidemiologist Dr. Ruth Lynfield.
Globally: 10.4 mil cases, 511k deaths. US: 2.6 mil cases and 127K deaths. MN: 426 new cases, an increase about the same as yesterday. Test positivity is 3.7%, up a bit from prior week but still good.
Interesting trend: Median age of MN cases continues to fall. Is now at 38.9 down about 2.5 years in month of June. "Pretty notable decline in short period of time." MN has 125 patients in ICU, lowest level of utilization since April's end.
Four new deaths in MN. All in congregate care settings
Malcolm talks about July 4 holiday week and urges Minnesotans to stay vigilant about social distancing, other COVID mitigation measures. Says it's tempting to feel like you can go back to normal, but we remain in a new normal.
Cases are growing in people in their 20s, Malcolm says, in a message tailored to young invincibles. Reminds them that they can spread the virus to people more vulnerable to severe disease.
Now up: Dr. Lynfield. A COVID seroprevalence study has been done of leftover plasma from blood donors in MN. Overall, 1.2% prevalence found. Cautions: Blood donors not representative of overall MN population. More study is ongoing.
MN has received new shipment of 1680 vials of remdesivir. This works out to be about 280 five-day courses, though some people need 10-day course. This was MN's 7th shipment.
She is now giving update on pediatric condition linked to COVID. now have 13 children who meet the criteria for this syndrome from mid May to mid June. Here is @StribOpinion edit on this. startribune.com/mysterious-con…
11 had lab-confirmed COVID exposure, with remaining two having exposure to someone with COVID. NO MN DEATHS. Average age of patient: 5 years of age. Most had no prior medical condition.
Dr. John Hick from HCMC is also joining the call.
Hick will talk about medical system's preparedness
Hick says PPE shortages continue. N95 masks one of the shortages. Working with 3M. Situation is improving. Hospitals continue to plan for expanding care as needed to meet potential COVID case demand.
Hick still clearly worried about potential for cases to rise significantly. Says still working on alternate COVID care sites, such as the long-term care center in Roseville that had been scheduled to be demolished. Adds that this will help ease burden on rural hospital capacity.
Silver bullet for COVID unlikely, Hick says. But providers are learning how to improve care for patients, but Hick says they still need Minnesotans to buy time and prevent system from getting overwhelmed. Notes importance of mask-wearing for general population.
Reporters' questions underway... why are insurers' charging people for tests when they are asymptomatic? Malcolm says aware this is still an issue and notes that some without symptoms are being told by public health officials to get tested. Billing "a work in progress."
If you feel like you've been unfairly billed for a test, you can file a complaint with MN Dept of Health or MN Dept of Commerce.
Sounds like MN health plans are really pushing hard only to test people with symptoms. Me talking: this is a strategy that doesn't work when we've had mass exposure through protests and public health officials urging people who participated to get tested w/and w/o symptoms.
To be clear, that last tweet on insurers means they're apparently pushing only to pay for symptomatic individuals testing.
Are bar owners doing enough to protect patrons, prevent COVID spread? A. At this point, state is focused on aggressive communication campaign. Diseease control measures are not just suggestions, they need to be followed.
Lynfield says have had over 300 cases of COVID associated with bars. Isn't just one bar responsible, is multiple bars in multiple areas of the state. Says working with hospitality industry but public also needs to take responsibility.
Q. What is your advice to Gov. Walz about an mask-wearing exec order? A. Malcolm says do recommend it become a requirement at a statewide level. Says governor seriously considering it.
That last tweet probably the newsiest development in this telebriefing.
Next Q is about holiday gatherings. Should people go? A. Social connections important and there are practical things you can do to reduce your risk and risk to other people.
Q. What is state's threshold for releasing info about outbreaks linked to specific businesses? A. If a business is the source of a cluster, MDH works with the business and informs them. Is there number of cases, depends on the circumstance.
In regard to bar, it can be difficult to tease out because young people often go to multiple bars. Must be careful in tracing the source of an outbreak.
Back to test cost and billing. Malcolm says MDH has "stood up" community testing sites to help address this. But adds this billing question is a fair one and MDH in dialogue with insurers about symptomatic/asymptomatic billing issue.
I am also happy to follow up with insurers about this! FYI, @BlueCrossMN, @Medica4Me.
Question about air travel: Dr. Hick lauds work that carriers have done to mitigate COVID risks for passengers. Recommends mask and face shield, open vents above the seat, wipe down surfaces. Consider what the disease conditions are like where you're going.
Q about the MN seroprevalence study. What does the percentage mean? A. Plasma donor group was from June. Were very few infected with COVID. Says might have expected it to be a little more. But 1.2% for healthy adults is plausible. Suspects % will rise as research expands.
BUT Lynfield also notes the low % means MN has a large group of people at risk for getting COVID. Underscores need for social distancing to protect each other as vaccine, therapeutics are developed.
Lynfield also notes there are significant questions about how long immunity lasts after COVID infection. May be months, a few years. Means this virus "is going to be with us for a while."
And that was the last question. Thanks for following along. For full coverage, go to StarTribune.com.
