Tag: COVID-19

Gov. Walz and Lt. Gov. Flanagan Update: February 5, 2021

Minnesota Ramps Up COVID-19 Vaccinations; Doubles Number of Shots Administered Per Day Compared to Last Week

On Wednesday, Governor Walz announced that the State of Minnesota has ramped up its COVID-19 vaccination efforts, and is now administering two times the number of shots given per day on average compared to just last week. The increase in vaccination rate follows Governor Tim Walz’ directives given last Monday designed to accelerate the availability of vaccine across the state. 

To date, More than 600,000 doses of COVID-19 vaccine have been administered in Minnesota.

Continue reading “Gov. Walz and Lt. Gov. Flanagan Update: February 5, 2021”

House Health Committee receives update COVID-19 update from Dr. Osterholm, discusses Rep. Wolgamott’s proposed public health investments

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SAINT PAUL, MINNESOTA – Today, the House Health Finance & Policy Committee received an update on COVID-19 from Dr. Michael Osterholm, world-renowned epidemiologist and Director of the University of Minnesota’s Center for Infectious Disease Research and Policy. The committee also discussed the important role of local public health in combating the pandemic and considered legislation to boost investments in local public health grants.

Dr. Osterholm shared several concerns regarding the virus with the committee, including the emergence of new COVID-19 variants that could mean the worst of the pandemic is still in front of us. Noting that the first doses of the vaccine has been greatly effective, he discussed the possibility of adapting to a first-dose priority plan for those ages 65 or older, postponing the second dose for those patients. He also stressed the importance of continued mask wearing, physical distancing and avoiding crowds, and discussed the need for individuals to protect their mental health.

“We’ve recently seen key COVID-19 metrics, including case counts and hospitalizations, trend downward, but as Dr. Osterholm told us, we aren’t out of the woods yet,” said Rep. Tina Liebling (DFL – Rochester), Chair of the Health Finance and Policy Committee. “As Minnesota continues vaccinating our residents, we must all remain vigilant against the virus – particularly as new variants emerge – to continue making progress and get through the pandemic as quickly as possible.”

Continue reading “House Health Committee receives update COVID-19 update from Dr. Osterholm, discusses Rep. Wolgamott’s proposed public health investments”

Johnson & Johnson seeks emergency FDA authorization for single-shot coronavirus vaccine

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Pharmaceutical giant Johnson & Johnson submitted its single-shot coronavirus vaccine to U.S. regulators Thursday afternoon for emergency use authorization after the vaccine was shown to be robustly effective against illness in a global trial — and especially at preventing severe disease and death.

The submission is “a pivotal step toward reducing the burden of disease for people globally and putting an end to the pandemic,” Paul Stoffels, chief scientific officer of Johnson & Johnson, said in a statement. If the vaccine receives regulatory clearance by the Food and Drug Administration, it would be the third authorized shot in the United States — a much-needed addition to the tools public health officials have to build immunity as virus variants spread.

FDA officials announced that outside experts would discuss the vaccine at a public meeting three weeks from now, on Feb. 26. Continue reading.

Dangerous Anti-Vaccination Protest Promoted By QAnon

On January 30, the Los Angeles Times reported that “members of anti-vaccine and far-right groups” caused a COVID-19 mass vaccination site in LA’s Dodger Stadium to temporarily shut down. Although the disruption “ultimately did little to inhibit vaccine distribution” and there was no violence reported, media should more proactively describe these actions as not mere “protests,” but as expressions of a dangerous and increasingly interconnected world of conspiracy theories.

The Los Angeles Times reported that the group didn’t prevent anyone from making their appointment, though some people had to wait for an extra hour. Los Angeles County has been hit particularly hard by the pandemic, with an estimated 1 in 3 Angelenos contracting COVID-19 at some point.

The Los Angeles Times referred to “far-right groups” present at the vaccination site shutdown, but it didn’t elaborate that some of those involved were reportedly supporters of the QAnon conspiracy theory. QAnon has grown from an initial lie that Hillary Clinton’s arrest was imminent (over Pizzagate, a different conspiracy theory) to an all-encompassing pro-Trump conspiracy theory that’s been linked to or helped inspire multiple violent crimes, including the deadly January 6 insurrection at the U.S. Capitol. CNN Business reporter Donie O’Sullivan explained that there is “an overlap between QAnon, between election conspiracy theories, and between vaccine misinformation.” Continue reading.

West Virginia’s GOP Governor Urges Passage Of Biden’s Covid-19 Relief Bill

West Virginia’s Republican Gov. Jim Justice on Monday endorsed a large economic stimulus bill, arguing that federal lawmakers have “got to move” on legislation.

In an interview with CNN host Poppy Harlow, Justice said he sided with approving Biden’s package over waiting for a “bipartisan bill” with less money, saying GOP efforts to trim down the bill were ill-timed.

“What we need to do is we need to understand that trying to be, per se, fiscally responsible at this point in time, with what we’ve got going on in this country … if we actually throw away some money right now, so what?” Justice said. Continue reading.

Poor handling of virus cost Trump his reelection, campaign autopsy finds

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Former president Donald Trump lost the 2020 election largely because of his handling of the coronavirus pandemic, according to a post-election autopsy completed by Trump campaign pollster Tony Fabrizio.

The 27-page document shows that voters in 10 key states rated the pandemic as their top voting issue, and President Biden won higher marks on the topic. The report also indicates that Trump lost ground among key demographic groups he needed.

The internal report cuts against Trump’s claims that the election was stolen from him and that Biden could not have fairly beaten him — and mirrors what many Trump campaign officials said privately for months. Continue reading.

35,000 COVID-19 doses for seniors to be given at 100 Minnesota sites

Vaccines shifting toward clinics, pharmacies. 

State officials have earmarked 35,000 COVID-19 vaccine doses for senior citizens this week — the highest total so far — at more than 100 locations, including hospitals, clinics and pharmacies.

The move represents a shift away from reliance on nine state-sponsored community vaccination sites that opened two weeks ago toward established local providers, long the backbone for delivering influenza and other vaccinations.

“The goal here is to improve access closer to home with more COVID-19 vaccines being available,” said Health Commissioner Jan Malcolm. Continue reading.

New diabetes cases linked to covid-19

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Researchers don’t understand exactly how the disease might trigger Type 1 or Type 2 diabetes, or whether the cases are temporary or permanent. But 14 percent of those with severe covid-19 developed a form of the disorder, one analysis found.

Mihail Zilbermint is used to treating diabetes — he heads a special team that cares for patients with the metabolic disorder at Suburban Hospital in Bethesda, Md. But as the hospital admitted increasing numbers of patients with covid-19, his caseload ballooned.

“Before, we used to manage maybe 18 patients per day,” he said. Now his team cares for as many as 30 daily.

Many of those patients had no prior history of diabetes. Some who developed elevated blood sugar while they had covid-19, the illness caused by the novel coronavirus, returned to normal by the time they left the hospital. Others went home with a diagnosis of full-blown diabetes. “We’ve definitely seen an uptick in patients who are newly diagnosed,” Zilbermint said. Continue reading.

Minnesota cuts vaccine sites, adds doses for seniors

More doses to be diverted to those 65 and older via medical providers. 

Mass state COVID-19 vaccination sites will be reduced in Minnesota this week as more vaccine is steered to local medical providers who can reach out to more of their patients.

Gov. Tim Walz on Monday said 35,000 doses of COVID-19 vaccine will be earmarked for senior citizens in Minnesota this week — the highest total so far — at more than 100 locations. That will include two permanent mass vaccination sites in Minneapolis and Duluth rather than the nine pilot sites spread across the state in each of the last two weeks.

The governor’s announcement called the strategy an “all-of-the-above approach” that gives vulnerable senior citizens access to vaccine through their local doctors but maintains some broader community events as well. Continue reading.

‘It’s a mess’: Biden’s team exposes the chaotic Trump White House they inherited

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President Joe Biden has been in office for 10 days and, already, his administration has uncovered a number of chaotic issues inherited from the Trump administration. 

According to Politico, Biden’s team had a prioritized focus on combatting the raging coronavirus pandemic, but instead of completely focusing on their 200-page pandemic response plan, this week has been largely dedicated to “trying to wrap their hands around the mushrooming crisis — a process officials acknowledge has been humbling, and triggered a concerted effort to temper expectations about how quickly they might get the nation back to normal.”

While the Biden administration’s work should be well underway, they are still working to locate more than 20 million doses of coronavirus vaccines that have already been shipped to states. According to Biden’s administration, they inherited a deeply flawed for maintaining proper records and inventory of vaccine distribution. Continue reading.