Minnesota reported 12 more COVID-19 deaths on Wednesday along with 438 more infections with the coronavirus that causes the respiratory disease — bringing it almost to 600,000 total infections in the pandemic.
The near-milestone comes amid declines in infections and hospitalizations related to the pandemic, and an uptick in the pace of COVID-19 vaccinations in Minnesota over the past week. The state's totals in the pandemic are 7,393 COVID-19 deaths and 599,909 infections.
The weekly average of Minnesotans receiving at least a first dose of COVID-19 vaccine increased from 66,068 in the week ending May 15 to 122,161 in the seven-day period ending Wednesday. However, the increase was inflated by the overdue reporting last week of 24,000 first doses provided to Minnesotans in North Dakota, and a new data sharing agreement that added roughly 1,000 first doses that Minnesotans received in Iowa.
Eligibility for the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine also was expanded earlier this month to people 12 to 15 — and the latest state data shows that 62,595 people in that age range have received at least first doses over the past two weeks.
State infectious disease director Kris Ehresmann said Minnesota needs to continue to find ways to bring COVID-19 vaccine to people who have had trouble accessing it in the past. While more than 61% of eligible people 12 and older have received at least a first dose of COVID-19 vaccine — totaling nearly 2.9 million people — Ehresmann said she wants to get the state to an 80% vaccination rate that could inhibit the spread of the coronavirus.
"I want to be done with COVID," she said. "Our urgency for getting people vaccinated hasn't abated."
Overall, more than 2.5 million people in Minnesota have completed the one- or two-dose vaccine series. Of them, more than 2.3 million are considered fully vaccinated — which means it has been 14 days since their final shots and the vaccine has had time to take full effect.
Gov. Tim Walz on Wednesday announced that a federal vaccination site at the Minnesota State Fairgrounds is providing single-dose Johnson & Johnson vaccinations through June 8 to people 18 and older on a walk-in basis.
