At 1 p.m., Minnesota hospital systems will testify in the #mnleg Senate Health committee about #COVID19 vaccines.
Friday, hospitals said Minnesota’s rollout was at an “untenable crossroads," only to retreat within 24 hours.
A thread:
Friday, @MNhospitals urged health officials to end a lottery system by which health systems get doses. They said the current system is eroding trust and said Minnesota mass vaccination sites are “out of reach” for many. (Letter below.)
The backtracking started quickly.
After I wrote our initial story, a @MNhospitals spokeswoman clarified that the hospitals didn't want to end the state’s 65+ lottery.
(Though the initial letter criticized Minnesota's mass vaccination sites – one of the ways seniors have gotten shots.)
Friday night @mnhealth said it would route more vaccines through regional health providers starting the week of Feb. 15 – just as the hospitals were asking.
Health officials said they’ll be “moving away” from the provider lottery system. (Statement below.)
Health officials said 52% of Minnesota’s doses have gone to hospitals and clinics – while only 10% had gone to mass vaccination sites.
They said 53% of doses have gone to Greater Minnesota, compared with 45% of the state’s population.
By Saturday, @MNhospitals wrote a “sincere apology” to state health officials. (Letter below.)
“I regret taking our concerns to the press rather than seeking a direct dialogue with you,” the group’s CEO wrote.
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.@GovTimWalz says the Minneapolis assisted living home he’s visiting, Jones-Harrison, got its second vaccine doses on Friday.
Walz and Health Commissioner Jan Malcolm: the Biden administration told governors this morning that vaccine allocations will increase to states by an additional 5% next week, on top of previously announced increases.
Walz says he’s considering lifting more economic restrictions, but doesn’t give a date or name any metrics he’s specifically tying that to.
“I know especially in the business sector, especially in schools, a date certain is what everybody wants,” he acknowledges.
Minnesota health officials are holding their first #COVID19 briefing of the year.
Health commissioner Jan Malcolm says the situation has "improved" after restrictions went in place.
"If we let our guard down, COVID-19 finds a way to surge back in terrifying ways," she says.
The major pharmacy chains that are vaccinating people in Minnesota's long-term care facilities expect to finish that work in 3-4 weeks, infectious disease director Kris Ehresmann says.
Minnesota health officials are pushing back on complaints about slow vaccine rollout.
"Minnesota is in line with other similarly sized states," Ehresmann says.
Minnesota has used 37% of its doses, which ranks 22nd nationally, according to CDC data.
In front of reporters, Gov. Tim Walz says the 10-person/3 household cap applies to Thanksgiving gatherings but "we’re not going into someone’s home and arresting them on Thanksgiving."
I asked if this was so important, why wait until after the election?
Walz: "Had we been at this spike in August, we would’ve done it in August... The virus dictates our timing. The virus dictates the moves we make."
I asked for evidence that infection rates double after 9 p.m., as Walz said in his speech.
"It does," Walz said. "It's human behavior" that people get closer together, talk louder.
He points out that Utah also imposed a 10 p.m. curfew on bars today.
Gov. Tim Walz on surge in coronavirus cases in Minnesota: "I wish I could tell you this was unexpected, but it is not."
Walz, pointing to a chart during his live statewide speech showing Minnesota's case growth, says this week's increase "would go absolutely off the television screen."
As Walz winds up to his announcement on new restrictions, a reminder that we've already reported what they are. Read them here: