Minnesota Vaccine Progress

Preventing another surge

Mallet./// first this evening.

More than 2 million minnesotans have now rolled up their sleeve and received at least one dose of a covid?

"*19 vaccine.

That's according to the minnesota department of health.

Kimt new three's jessica bringe joins us live from rochester with how olmsted county stacks up..

Jessica.

George ?

"* the state is looking at a little more than 46?

"* percent of minnesotans 65 and older receiving their first dose..

Olmsted county is doing even better..

Hitting the 50?

*- percent milestone just today, olmsted county public health director graham briggs says he hopes that trend continues as the demand for vaccines lessen but the supply remains steady.

However, as vaccination numbers increase covid case counts are rising too..

With the state averaging around 24?*- hundred each day over the past week..

Briggs says it is unlikely olmsted county will see a major surge like we did back in november and we might be getting to a point that we see a lesser surge just because we've got enough of the people vaccinated, to not protect the community entirely, but make it a lot more difficult for the virus to jump from person to person.

Briggs says there's been a minor uptick in positive case numbers..

But he says that's something public health will continue to monitor.

Live in rochester jessica bringe kimt news three.

Thank you jessica.

Minnesota pubic health does say coronavirus variants are circulating in the state and driving covid deaths and hospitalization s in the past few weeks.