As a physician in the land of 10,000 lakes, it's only natural that Dr. George Morris turns to water to explain why it's important to vaccinate virtually everyone eligible against COVID-19.
Consider the waves that spread from the splash created when a rock is tossed in. A similar ripple effect has powered the pandemic, said Morris, a CentraCare vice president who still sees patients. One person who becomes ill can infect others. But when vaccination rates are high, the protection conferred by the shots halts broadening circles of COVID infection.
"We're now at around, I think, of 85% of [those] 65-plus. We're now at around 33% of our community members throughout the state that are vaccinated," Morris said. "Let's all join that group. These are positive community members that are looking out for themselves and looking out for each other."
Morris is exactly right. Getting vaccinated isn't just about protecting yourself. It's about protecting your family, friends, community and country. It is an act of caring and service, one that is urgent with the state at risk of another COVID surge.
Minnesota is making admirable progress. On Friday, it ranked 11th in a Becker's Hospital Review of population percentage fully vaccinated. There's still a long way to go. Herd immunity, the term for the threshold that thwarts viral spread, won't be reached until an estimated 70% to 90% of the population is protected.
Progress varies within Minnesota. Cook County, in the state's northeast tip, leads the state with 63.8% of its population having at least one vaccine dose. Benton and Sherburne counties are at the back of the pack, with 22.8% and 23.1%, respectively, according to the Star Tribune COVID tracker. Todd County, also in central Minnesota, trails as well, posting 27%.
St. Cloud-based CentraCare, where Morris practices, is one of the state's largest health care systems. It has eight hospitals, more than 30 clinics and 11 senior housing facilities throughout the state's core region. Morris is a trusted physician practicing in the area and a respected Minnesota health care leader. That's why he was tapped to address two stubborn misperceptions for the Star Tribune Editorial Board's "Our Best Shot" series targeting vaccine hesitancy. The misperceptions:
• COVID is no worse than the common cold or flu. Not true. While COVID belongs to a family of viruses whose members do cause the common cold, this one is different. It is capable of causing "severe illness that is life altering, life-changing and life-stealing for many people," Morris said. In just over a year, nearly 7,000 Minnesotans — and more than 565,000 Americans — have lost their lives to COVID. In contrast, there were 126 influenza-associated deaths in the state during the 2018-19 flu season.
