A dip of 86 percent in doses to be distributed to states follows a surge that occurred after one of J&J's third party manufacturers was finally able to release a stockpile.
One of the hottest areas of research right now: Studies to determine how well current vaccines work against emerging coronavirus "variants of concern."
Human Services of Faribault and Martin Counties, a two-county public health department in southern Minnesota, requested 300 doses of vaccine to administer this week. But they’re struggling to fill appointment slots — and dealing with no-shows. So they’re asking the state Health Department to reallocate next week’s share.
The Biden administration isn't sold on the idea that hotspots should get more vaccines, despite growing calls from local leaders. Instead, states get a weekly supply based on their populations.
Native Americans have the highest COVID-19 mortality rate of any population in the U.S. And for tribes working to revitalize language and culture, the loss of elders to COVID-19 leaves an especially painful void.
The disease metrics are at levels not seen since over the winter, but the vaccination trend has hit a new high. The question still to be decided: Can the vaccination push outrun the growth of new COVID-19 strains spreading now through the state?
Long-term care options are expensive and often out of reach for older adults and people with disabilities. Part of the president's proposed infrastructure plan would help fund home-based health services.
"The pandemic illuminated inequities that have existed for generations and revealed for all of America a known, but often unaddressed, epidemic impacting public health: racism," Walensky said.
The coronavirus hasn’t just upended classrooms around the state — it’s wreaking havoc on district budgets, which are largely determined by enrollment. State and federal lawmakers are considering and passing billions of new dollars in education funding, but Minnesota districts are still laying off staff and closing schools.