The Minnesota Department of Health reports that Minnesota’s COVID-19 cases have hit a “high-plateau” in recent weeks. Kathy Como-Sabetti, an Epidemiology Manger at the Minnesota Department of Health said Wednesday that they are not seeing a huge variation in the numbers of cases, hospitalizations, or deaths reported to MDH.
“We continue to monitor those metrics daily and continue to post information on our website weekly about them,” Como-Sabetti said. “We are kind of at the steady high plateau. I think what is difficult to know is what does this mean for the future? COVID as certainly thrown us many curveballs, but we continue to monitor. We don’t really know what it means going forward.”
With winter on the horizon, Como-Sabetti says rolled back COVID-19 safety measures are likely the reason RSV and influenza cases are on the rise statewide.
“One of our concerns is that with a lot of the pandemic fatigue, and people are tired, maybe some of the usual things we’ve done in the past we’re not adhering to as well. Things like covering your cough, staying home when sick, and getting routine vaccinations. People should consider getting an influenza vaccine and if they’re eligible, get a COVID booster with a bivalent vaccine.”
According to MDH, nearly 72% of Minnesotans have at least one COVID-19 vaccine. Nearly 67% have a complete vaccine series while just 15% are up to date on vaccine doses.
“We are seeing steady increases in the bivalent vaccine booster uptake,” Como-Sabetti said. “It is something that in the last couple weeks with the coverage of the tridemic of COVID, RSV, and influenza people seem to be hearing that message and schedule their appointments to get vaccinated.”
Como-Sabetti says it’s too early to know if a COVID-19 surge may happen this winter, but shares some optimism about the ability to handle a surge similar to ones in the past.
“We have more tools. We have vaccines that are effective especially against severe disease and monoclonal antibodies. So the impact on society can be less. Certainly, when an individual is ill, the impact on that person can still be severe. I think we’re in a different place, but what COVID will do is up to the virus. We don’t have a lot of ability to predict how it will react.”
