COVID-19 Updates: February 24, 2021

View this as a webpage Minnesota Department of Health February 24, 2021 Minnesota News and Outreach Mall of America Community Vaccination Site Today, Governor Walz announced a new community vaccination site to launch this week at Mall of America in Bloomington. The large-scale, permanent site will be the fourth of its kind, joining sites in Minneapolis, Duluth, and Rochester. The Mall of America will serve approximately 8,190 pre-kindergarten through grade 12 educators, school staff, and child care workers in its first week. Staff in education and child care settings will be contacted directly if selected to sign up for vaccine appointments. Hy-Vee Added to Pharmacy Vaccine Network This week, Governor Walz announced that Hy-Vee will be added to the expanding network of pharmacies vaccinating Minnesotans across the state. Hy-Vee joins two other retail pharmacies in Minnesota — Walmart and Thrifty White —  that are participating in the Federal Retail Pharmacy Program that launched earlier this month. Hy-Vee will administer more than 10,000 doses of the vaccine this week to adults 65 years of age and older at more than 30 Hy-Vee sites in the state. Hy-Vee locations and contact information for scheduling appointments are available on Find Vaccine Locations. Over 1 Million Vaccine Doses Administered More than one million COVID-19 vaccines have been administered to Minnesotans! There's still a long way to go, but Minnesota is committed to building out a reliable, durable network of options for everyone to get their shot. For vaccine data, vaccine locations, or to sign up for the Vaccine Connector, visit COVID-19 Vaccinations. Vaccine Hotlines For questions about COVID-19 vaccines or the community vaccination program, please visit Vaccine Hotlines for call center and contact information. Minnesota Department of Health (MDH) Materials We are adding new videos, print materials, and translated documents often. Check out the pages below to view, download, or print these resources. Materials and Resources for COVID-19 Response Videos for COVID-19 Response The situation is changing rapidly. Visit Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) for the most up-to-date information and follow MDH on Facebook, Twitter, & Instagram to stay informed. What's New COVID-19 Testing for Kids and Families Teachers, school staff, and coaches are already getting tested regularly. We owe it to them to do the same. The new MDH recommendation is for all school-age youth returning to school, youth sports, or extracurricular activities, and their families, to get tested every two weeks through the end of the school year. While it is not a requirement, regular testing complements other safety measures already in place, such as masking and social distancing. Schools and youth organizations can send messages and resources available on COVID-19 Testing for Kids and Families to families to encourage testing. By getting tested every two weeks from now until the end of the school year, we can help keep schools open and sports operating, and ensure we are limiting the spread of COVID-19. It has never been easier to get tested. Testing is provided at no cost to you. COVID-19 Community Testing Sites You can now schedule appointments for the whole family at the same time. For more information, visit COVID-19 Community Testing. COVID-19 Test at Home Find Testing Locations at local hospitals and clinics or contact your health care provider. COVID-19 Stories of Community Outreach and Partnership COVID-19 Stories of Community Outreach and Partnership highlight the efforts of our staff in collaboration with community partners during the COVID-19 response. Some stories provide insight into how this work is done, others discuss what challenges our teams face, but all of them recognize how COVID-19 has pushed MDH to try new strategies so we can fulfill our mission of protecting, maintaining, and improving the health of all Minnesotans. Understanding Impact through Stories: Partnering with People with Disabilities during COVID-19 The MDH People with Disabilities Team collaborates with partners to ensure that Minnesotans with disabilities have equitable access to resources during the COVID-19 pandemic. Since March, the team and its partners have created guidance, built a resources page on the MDH website (Disabilities and Unique Health Needs During the COVID-19 Pandemic), convened a community advisory board, and onboarded community contractors. In partnership with the Minnesota Consortium for Citizens with Disabilities, the team holds monthly Let's Talk Virtual Forums that are open to the public (COVID-19 Community Engagement Webinars). Read more: Understanding Impact through Stories: Partnering with People with Disabilities during COVID-19 Guidance and Resources NEW: COVID-19 Testing for Kids and Families About COVID-19 Vaccine: After getting the vaccine COVID-19 Vaccine Communication Toolkit: Vaccine Connector Get Connected to Your COVID-19 Vaccine! (PDF) Help us get all Minnesotans signed up for the COVID-19 Vaccine Connector (PDF) COVID-19 Vaccine Temperature Monitoring Devices (PDF) Preparing COVID-19 Vaccines for Administration (PDF) UPDATED: Protect Yourself & Others: Traveling Safer Celebrations during COVID-19: Holidays and Other Gatherings COVID-19 Stories of Community Outreach and Partnership Institutes of Higher Education: COVID-19 COVID-19 Vaccine Providers Interim COVID-19 Vaccine Provider Guide (PDF) Videos for COVID-19 Response: COVID-19 Vaccine Therapeutic Options for COVID-19 Patients COVID-19 Recommendations for Health Care Workers (PDF) Responding to and Monitoring COVID-19 Exposures in Health Care Settings (PDF) NOTE: As new Executive Orders and recommendations are issued, we will review and update the guidance and resources on our website accordingly. Look for an "Updated" date below guidance links to know when the resource was last revised. Minnesota Helpline For questions related to the COVID-19 pandemic 651-297-1304 or 1-800-657-3504 Monday-Friday: 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Minnesota Department of Health  |  health.mn.gov Manage Preferences  |  Unsubscribe  |  Help

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